Introduction

Sending hundreds of resumes and still not getting shortlisted?
You’re not alone. Most Indian job seekers make simple, avoidable mistakes that instantly lead to rejection. Recruiters spend 6–10 seconds scanning a resume—so clarity and relevance matter more than ever.

Here are the eight most common resume mistakes Indians make and how to fix them.

1. Using a Generic Resume for Every Job

One resume cannot fit all roles.
Why it fails:
Recruiters can easily spot when your resume isn’t tailored to the job description.

Fix:
Customize your resume for every job—highlight relevant skills and experience.

2. Poor Formatting & Overly Fancy Designs

Many job seekers use colorful CV templates or hard-to-read fonts.
What recruiters prefer:

Clean, simple layout

Professional fonts (Calibri, Arial, Roboto)

Bullet points instead of long paragraphs

A single-page resume (unless senior level)

3. No Clear Summary at the Top

A summary helps recruiters understand who you are quickly.

Fix:
Add a 3–4 line professional summary highlighting your role, experience, and key skills.

Example:
“Marketing Executive with 3+ years of experience in social media, brand campaigns, and content strategy.”

4. Listing Responsibilities, Not Achievements

Most resumes read like job descriptions.

Fix:
Convert duties into achievement-based bullet points.

❌ “Handled social media for the company.”
✔️ “Increased Instagram engagement by 60% in 4 months.”

Numbers make your resume stronger.

5. Spelling Errors & Grammar Mistakes

This is one of the top reasons resumes get rejected instantly.
Always proofread or use tools to check grammar.

6. Missing Keywords from the Job Description

Companies use ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems).
If your resume doesn’t contain keywords, it won’t pass filtering.

Fix:
Add keywords from the job post—for example:

“Google Ads”

“Customer handling”

“Sales conversion”

“Data analysis”

7. Adding Irrelevant Information

Recruiters don’t want to know about your hobbies like “watching movies” or “listening to music.”

Avoid:

Personal details (religion, marital status)

Long home address

Old-school objective statements

8. No Portfolio or Work Samples

Especially for marketing, design, writing, IT, and product roles.

Fix:
Include links to:

Portfolio

GitHub

Behance

LinkedIn

Website

This instantly increases your chances of getting shortlisted.

Conclusion

Your resume is your first impression—and small mistakes can cost you big opportunities. By avoiding these 8 common errors, you can dramatically improve your chances of getting shortlisted.

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