9 Resume Traps That Keep You From Getting Hired

They said your résumé looked fine.

If it’s stuck in 1 of these 9 traps, they lied. 🚨

Resumes are more art 🎨 than science.

Anyone telling you there’s one right way?
Don’t believe them.

There’s a mountain ⛰ of bad advice out there –
and too many job seekers get buried under it ⚰️

Here are 9 résumé traps to avoid if you actually want to get hired 💼

1️⃣ Funky Fonts
Our eyes move big ➡ small, dark ➡ light 👀
Guide the reader.
Name = biggest text 🖋
Then headers.
Then content.
No font chaos. Clarity wins ✅

2️⃣ Columns – What is this, Roman Times?
Don’t make the reader decide between left or right ↔
A confused mind doesn’t hire 🛑
Keep it clean – top to bottom 📄

3️⃣ Executive Summary
Skip it 🗑
It’s all “tell,” no “show.”
They’re going straight to your experience anyway – meet them there 🎯

4️⃣ Obsessing About ATS
ATS exists 🤖 – and it’s not an all-powerful gatekeeper.
Every company uses it differently 🏢
Write for the human – because humans make the hiring call 🤝

5️⃣ Missing Context
For every job, list:
• Org name 🏛
• City, ST 📍
• Job title 💼
• Year to year 📆
Bonus: Keep formatting consistent ✏️
Forget months – they don’t help you 🙅‍♂️

6️⃣ Cutting “Old” Experience
If it happened 20+ years ago and still shapes how you work? Keep it 🗂
You’ve got decades of wisdom 🦉 – don’t delete it because someone said “only 15 years.”

7️⃣ Results + Action Bullets
Lead with the result 📊
Then show the action that got it there 🔧
✅ “Increased revenue by 32% by launching new pricing model”
🚫 “Led pricing strategy to increase revenue.”
Passive voice isn’t the problem. Vagueness is.

8️⃣ Hiding Your Age
Removing grad dates screams fear 😬
People don’t trust what you hide 
Own your experience 💪
You’re not old – you’re seasoned 🥂

9️⃣ No Proof You’re Human
Humans hire humans ❤️ Be one.
There’s no perfect resume.
There’s only a clearer, bolder, more human one ✨
That version gets interviews 🎤

🚀 Let's get your career stuff handled, find time to talk here. 📲