Common resume mistakes among students and recent graduates include issues with formatting, grammar, and a lack of specificity. Typical errors are going over one page, using an unprofessional email, and listing vague job descriptions. To avoid these, keep the resume concise, use clear and professional language, and focus on relevant skills and achievements. It’s essential to tailor each resume to the specific job and proofread it carefully to ensure it stands out for all the right reasons.
Not hearing back from job applications? It might not be you — maybe it’s your resume. What a relief, because that’s an easy fix.
It’s very frustrating when you nervously send out your first resume and then realize you made a rookie mistake. Should you include a photo? Absolutely not. List your high school diploma even though you’ve got a degree? Big no-no. And while one page is best, don’t forget to talk about your work accomplishments, not just your duties.
But don’t worry. This guide will walk you through the most common resume mistakes students and recent graduates make, so you can avoid them and have your resume at the top of its game (helping you slide right into your first proper job).
We’ll cover:
- 32 common resume mistakes to avoid.
- Tips on how to make your resume the best it can be.
- Resume examples for high school students, college students, and recent graduates.
If you want to make life easier, make your resume with the Rezi AI Resume Builder.
For some resume inspiration, check out our other guides:
- How to Write an Internship Resume (With Examples)
- The UK CV Format & Advice for the British Job Market
- How to Make a US Resume
- Writing A Resume With No Experience
- How to Write the Best Resume Possible
32 Common Mistakes in Students & Graduates Resumes
Don’t let these mistakes hold you back — many students and grads make them, but you don’t have to. Let’s make sure your resume stands out for all the right reasons and sets you up for success as you take that first step into your career.
1. Grammar and punctuation mistakes
Even small typos or grammar mistakes can make you seem careless or uninterested in the job. Employers expect attention to detail, and a resume with errors is an easy reason to reject your application.
How to avoid this mistake:
- Proofread your resume multiple times and read it out loud to catch awkward phrasing.
- Use grammar-checking tools like Grammarly — but don’t completely rely on them.
- Get a friend or mentor to review it for a fresh perspective.
2. Going over one page
If you’re a student or recent grad, keep your resume to one page. Save the two-page resumes for professionals with 10+ years of experience.
How to avoid this mistake:
- Focus on your most relevant skills, achievements, and experiences — only include what directly relates to the job.
- Adjust margins (one inch) and font size (10–12 pt) for extra space, but keep it readable.
3. Poor formatting choices
Messy formatting doesn’t just look bad — it can also confuse the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and cause your resume to be overlooked. A clear, professional layout makes it easy for employers to find your key information.
How to avoid this mistake:
- Use a simple, one-column resume template — ATS-friendly Rezi templates work well (for some non-Rezi options, browse through other 30+ Basic Resume Templates).
- Label sections with clear headings like ‘Education,’ ‘Experience,’ and ‘Skills.’
- Pick an easy-to-read font (Arial, Calibri, or Verdana) in 10–12 pt for body text and 14–16 pt for headings.
- Maintain single or 1.15 spacing with one-inch margins.
4. Using an unprofessional email
Your email address might seem minor, but a silly address (like timotheechalambae@gmail.com) can make you look unprofessional.
How to avoid this mistake:
- Go with a basic email format like firstname.lastname@gmail.com.
- If your name is taken, add a middle initial or a shorter variation.
5. Outdated contact information
If the contact details in your resume header aren’t up-to-date, employers can’t reach you — and they’ll likely move on.
How to avoid this mistake:
- Double-check that your phone number and email are current (and that it’s an email you check regularly).
- Update your location if you’ve recently moved (include the city and state or country).
6. Writing a vague objective
A vague objective wastes valuable space on your resume. Instead of generic statements like you’re a “hardworking individual seeking challenging new opportunities,” use this section to show exactly why you’re the perfect fit.
How to avoid this mistake:
- Customize your resume objective for each job by using keywords from the job posting to show them you have the skills they’re looking for.
- Use numbers whenever you can to show off your impact in school and previous jobs, like “led a team of 5 to organize a fundraiser, raising $2,500 for charity.”
7. Incorrect education documentation
The education section is crucial, so you can’t afford to mess it up by being careless. Be clear and accurate so employers can easily see your qualifications.
How to avoid this mistake:
- List your degree’s full name, e.g. Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.
- Use the full name of your university, e.g. University of Michigan, not UMich.
- Add your GPA if it’s 3.5 or higher.
- Talk about relevant coursework on your resume if it aligns with the job.
8. Leaving out the graduation date
Missing graduation dates can confuse employers, so don’t make them guess by saying “2023–Present.” Be clear about when you finished or when you will finish.
How to avoid this mistake:
- If you’re still in school, list your degree with “Expected Graduation [Month, Year].”
- If you’ve already graduated, include your graduation month and year to show when you completed your studies.
9. Not emphasizing transferable skills from your education
If you’re light on experience, your education section is a great place to showcase your valuable skills.
How to avoid this mistake:
- Include class projects, internships, and extracurricular activities on your resume that show off skills like leadership, teamwork, or problem-solving.
- Talk about honors or awards that highlight your work ethic.
- Describe clubs or organizations where you led initiatives or played a key role.
10. Failing to highlight your skills and expertise
If you don’t emphasize your skills, employers might miss what makes you a strong candidate. Make it effortless for them to recognize the value you bring.
How to avoid this mistake:
- Add a skills section with bullet points featuring job-relevant abilities like communication, software proficiency, or project management.
- Use your objective to briefly connect your strengths to the job.
- In your work experience section, show how you’ve applied your skills to achieve results.
11. Ignoring transferable work experience
Part-time jobs, volunteer work, and student activities can teach you practical skills that apply to future roles. Don’t underestimate their importance — employers want to see how your past experiences relate to the job.
How to avoid this mistake:
- Showcase transferable skills like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving from all types of work.
- Aim for 3–8 bullet points per role, focusing on what you did and the impact. For example:
- “Answered 50+ customer inquiries weekly while maintaining a professional attitude.”
- “Coordinated schedules and events for a student club with 30+ members.”
12. Vague work history descriptions
Be clear about what you did, how you did it, and why it mattered. Describe any achievements that went beyond your basic duties too.
How to avoid this mistake:
- Use clear, specific language that explains your responsibilities. Instead of “responsible for customer service,” write “assisted 60+ customers daily, resolving issues and improving satisfaction.”
- Emphasize outcomes like “increased social media engagement by 25%” or “trained three new team members.”
- Swap buzzwords for real examples — say “consistently met 100% of project deadlines while managing coursework” instead of “hard worker,” or “presented research findings to a class of 30, improving understanding of complex topics” instead of “good communicator.”
13. Listing only job duties, not achievements
Don’t just talk about what you were responsible for — describe how you made a difference. This helps hiring managers understand how you can contribute to their team’s success.
How to avoid this mistake:
- Link your tasks to results and highlight what your work achieved.
- Use numbers to make your achievements stand out. For instance:
- “Volunteered at a school event of 100+ attendees.”
- “Created 5 social media posts weekly for a campus organization, boosting engagement by 20%.”
14. Skipping bullet points
Long paragraphs are tough to skim. Bullet points break up the text and make your skills and experience easier to read, helping hiring managers quickly spot your best qualifications.
How to avoid this mistake:
- Use bullet points to list your skills, work experience, and educational achievements.
- Keep each point short and focused on one key skill or result.
15. Overlooking volunteer work
If you’re short on paid experience, adding volunteer work to your resume can demonstrate valuable skills like leadership, teamwork, and adaptability.
How to avoid this mistake:
- List any volunteer roles, whether it’s organizing events, fundraising, coaching, or community service.
- Focus on the skills you developed, like customer service, organization, and communication.
- Connect your volunteer work to the job you want. For example, volunteering at a food bank can show customer service skills.
16. Mentioning irrelevant hobbies
Random hobbies don’t add much to your resume. Stick to interests that highlight relevant skills or qualities employers want, like creativity or initiative.
How to avoid this mistake:
- Share hobbies on your resume that relate to the role, like coding projects for tech jobs or writing for marketing roles.
- Include extracurriculars on your resume like student council, sports, or any personal projects that show problem-solving, leadership, or creativity.
17. Using pronouns
Ditch the pronouns (like “I” or “me”) and jump straight into your achievements.
How to avoid this mistake:
- Kick off each bullet point with strong action verbs like “designed,” “led,” or “improved.” For example, instead of “I managed a team of 5,” say “led a team of 5.”
- Keep your sentences short, sweet, and impactful.
18. Overusing jargon and abbreviations
Too much industry jargon or unexplained abbreviations can confuse hiring managers, especially if they’re not familiar with them. Clear, simple language works best.
How to avoid this mistake:
- Spell out organization names, programs, and certifications (e.g. “Resident Assistant” instead of “RA”).
- Use plain language — write “organized events” instead of “facilitated experiential engagements.” If you wouldn’t say it in conversation, don’t put it on your resume.
19. Including irrelevant information
Listing everything you’ve ever done clutters your resume and buries the important stuff. Stick to what matters for the job you’re applying for.
How to avoid this mistake:
- Focus on jobs, projects, or skills that relate to the position.
- Tailor your resume for each job, emphasizing experiences that align with the job description and requirements.
20. Incorrect verb tenses
Inconsistent verb tenses can make your resume look messy and confuse employers when they’re trying to understand your job history.
How to avoid this mistake:
- Use past tense for past roles, e.g. “managed social media accounts.”
- Use present tense for current roles, e.g. “managing social media accounts.”
21. Using weak action verbs
Weak verbs like “worked” or “made” don’t do much to emphasize your contributions. Strong action verbs like “designed,” “initiated,” or “optimized” make a bigger impact and show exactly what you did.
How to avoid this mistake:
- Begin each bullet with a strong, precise action verb, like “developed a new onboarding process.”
- Skip phrases like “responsible for” and get straight to the action.
22. Overusing graphics and colors
It might be tempting to jazz up your resume with bold colors and flashy graphics, but too much can make it look unprofessional and mess with resume filters. This can cause your resume to be skipped before it even gets seen by a hiring manager.
How to avoid this mistake:
- A subtle pop of color is okay but stick to a white background to ensure readability.
- Avoid images, icons, or excessive graphics unless you’re applying for a creative role like acting, modeling, or design.
23. Capitalizing unnecessary words
Capitalizing random words you think are important can make your resume look cluttered and unprofessional. Keep it simple and only capitalize what’s necessary.
How to avoid this mistake:
- Capitalize proper names, formal titles (e.g. “Assistant Manager”), and specific departments (“Marketing Department”).
- Don’t capitalize seasons, academic periods, casual events, or general terms like “manager” unless part of a formal title.
24. Including references
Listing references or saying “references available upon request” takes up valuable space and isn’t necessary. Employers will ask for them later if required.
How to avoid this mistake:
- Skip the references section.
- Use that space to highlight your skills and achievements instead.
25. Omitting key sections
A resume won’t be as effective without all the essential sections. Make sure you’re showcasing your skills and experiences in the most impactful way possible.
How to avoid this mistake:
- Include resume sections like your professional objective, education, work experience (including internships, part-time jobs, or major class projects), and a skills section.
- Consider adding other sections to your resume, like awards and honors, certifications, hobbies, extracurriculars, languages, or volunteer work if they’re relevant.
26. Not including keywords
Leaving out important keywords is a big mistake, especially since many companies use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to scan resumes. These systems filter candidates based on the keywords found in the job description, so if your resume doesn’t include them, it might not make it past the initial review.
How to avoid this mistake:
- Review job descriptions for key skills and qualifications that match your experience.
- Sprinkle relevant keywords naturally into your objective, skills section, education, and work experience.
- Use the job description language where it fits, but don’t overdo it.
27. Using the same resume for every job
Employers want to know that you’ve put effort into tailoring your resume for the specific role. Using a generic resume that doesn’t address the necessary skills or qualifications can result in your resume being overlooked, especially by ATS.
How to avoid this mistake:
- Customize your resume for each job by focusing on the skills, experiences, and qualifications that align with the job description.
- Personalize your objective by including the job title and company name.
28. Listing irrelevant skills
Even though you may have a lot of skills, it’s important to only include those that are directly related to the position you’re applying for. Outlining unrelated skills can distract from the important qualifications.
How to avoid this mistake:
- List skills mentioned in the job posting, such as proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Adobe Creative Suite, or programming languages like Python.
- Leave out skills that don’t relate to the position, like social media management if you’re applying for a role in education.
29. Attaching a photo
A photo on your resume might seem like a nice touch, but it can backfire. It can shift focus away from your qualifications, introduce bias, and even raise legal issues for employers.
How to avoid this mistake:
- Only include a photo if the job specifically asks for it (like in modeling or acting).
- Got a professional headshot you look great in? Set it as your LinkedIn profile photo instead. And if you haven’t set up a LinkedIn profile yet, now’s the time. (Need help? Check out How to Make a Good LinkedIn Profile.)
30. Saving under a vague file name
A file titled “Resume (3)” might get lost among all the other nameless resumes, so make yours easy to find with a clear, professional name.
How to avoid this mistake:
- Save your resume with a straightforward title like “FirstName_LastName_Resume.”
- Save your resume as a PDF unless the job posting specifically asks for a Word document. This keeps your formatting intact.
31. Lying on your resume
Faking it on your resume is a risky move. Employers often verify your work history, education, and skills. If you’re caught lying — whether during the interview or through a background check — you could lose the job offer (or your job if you’re already hired).
How to avoid this mistake:
- Be honest about your experience and abilities. If you don’t have certain skills, don’t claim you do.
- Missing a required skill? Emphasize your eagerness to learn or take an online course (there are a lot of affordable options on platforms like Coursera or edX).
32. Listening to outdated resume advice
While your parents might offer well-intentioned advice, some older resume tips are no longer relevant today. Hiring practices have evolved, especially with tools like ATS, so it’s essential to stay current.
How to avoid this mistake:
- Avoid outdated phrases like “references available upon request” or listing your full home address (just city and state or country are enough).
- Customize your resume for each job rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.
Resume Examples for Students and Fresh Graduates
Find the resume example that best fits your situation, whether you’re still in school, in college, or already graduated.
You can also explore other Student Resume Examples or browse over 300 resume samples for all types of jobs.
High school student resume example
High school graduate resume example
College student resume example
College graduate resume example
Summary
Here’s a recap of the common resume mistakes among students and fresh graduates (and how to avoid them):
- Proofread carefully using tools like Grammarly and ask someone else to review your resume for grammar and punctuation mistakes.
- Limit your resume to one page, prioritizing relevant experiences and using space efficiently with appropriate margins (one inch) and font sizes (10–12 pt).
- Use a clean, one-column format with clear section headings and consistent fonts to avoid confusing ATS and hiring managers.
- Keep your contact information updated, including a professional email format, and check it regularly.
- Customize your objective to highlight why you’re a great fit for the role, using specific examples and measurable results.
- Highlight part-time jobs, volunteer work, and school projects that show off transferable skills like leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving.
- Use strong action verbs like “designed,” “led,” or “improved” instead of vague words like “worked” or “made.”
- Focus on relevant skills and experiences and exclude unrelated hobbies and unnecessary details.
- Emphasize your accomplishments instead of listing job duties, and use numbers when you can, such as “increased sales by 20%” or “led a team of 6.”
- Include keywords from the job description so your resume can pass through ATS and increase your chances of getting noticed.
FAQ
What are the 5 most common mistakes students make in preparing and submitting a resume?
1. Using a generic resume. Customize it to highlight skills and experiences that match the job description. It shows you’re serious and have put in the effort.
2. Forgetting to proofread. Typos and errors can ruin your chances. A resume with mistakes gives the impression you didn’t care enough to double-check. Always proofread, or better yet, have someone else look it over.
3. Overloading with details. Focus on relevant experience and skills — quality over quantity.
4. Writing a weak objective. “Seeking a challenging position” doesn’t tell employers anything. Be clear and specific about your goals and how you can contribute to the company.
5. Not showcasing achievements. Emphasize what you accomplished, using numbers and results to stand out.
What are the weakest verbs in your resume?
Avoid weak verbs like “worked,” “made,” and “showed.” They don’t show much impact. Use stronger action verbs like “led,” “managed,” “improved,” and “created” to highlight your initiative and make your contributions stand out.
How much text is too much on a resume?
Keep your resume to one page, especially if you’re a student or recent graduate. Bullet points should generally be one line, but never more than two. This keeps things concise and easy to read.
How many bullet points per job on a resume?
Limit each job to 3–8 bullet points. Focus on key achievements and responsibilities that showcase your impact. Where possible, quantify results (e.g. “boosted sales by 15%”) to emphasize your contributions without overwhelming the reader.
Should I put my GPA on a resume?
Include your GPA if it’s 3.5 or higher as it shows you’re committed and hardworking. If it’s lower, you might want to leave it off. Instead, mention academic achievements or relevant coursework, especially if it ties into the job you’re applying for.
How many mistakes are acceptable on a resume?
None. A resume is your first impression, so even one mistake can hurt your chances. Triple-check everything — typos or formatting errors can get your resume tossed aside.
What is keyword stuffing?
Keyword stuffing is when you cram too many job description keywords into your resume, making it sound awkward. While keywords are important for ATS, keep it natural. Integrate them smoothly to pass the filters without ruining readability.
