Although artificial intelligence (AI), resume templates, and resume tools are evolving, many job seekers are still losing interview chances in 2025 due to avoidable resume mistakes.

While the formats of resumes have changed, communication, clarity, and relevance continue to matter.

At CVPolis, we have seen and reviewed thousands of resumes, as a human and as an AI model and identified the most common resume errors that continue to hurt chances of getting hired. Whether you’re a recent graduate, a mid-level worker, or transitioning to a new career, here are the most important 6 resume mistakes to not make in the coming year.

• 1) Using a Generic Resume for Multiple Applications: Using the same resume for multiple job applications is a common mistake. Today, employers are looking for individualized applications that align to the job description in the application.
  What to do: Adjust each resume for each role. Highlight the experience, skills and achievements that are relevant to the requirement of the position. Use role-specific keywords to improve ATS visibility.
• 2) Using Outdated or Vague Objective Statements: Objective sections that say “Looking for a challenging role to grow professionally” have no place on resumes anymore and are of limited value to recruiters. Objective statements are a waste ofspace and could be used for meaningful summaries.
  What to do: Remove the objective statement and replace it with either a professional summary, or a personal branding statement, which succinctly explain your value proposition. Focus on what you bring to the organization and not what you’re looking to gain.
• 3) Reporting Duties instead of Accomplishments: Exhibit “responsibilities” on your resume rather than “measurable results”. Doing so will not tell the recruiters the value of the impact you made in your past roles.
  What to do: Implement the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) when describing your accomplishments. Example: “Led a cross functional team to streamline onboarding process, reducing average time-to-productivity by 25%.”
• 4) Forgetting about ATS Optimization Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) scan resumes before a person even views your resume. Resumes that are overly designed or have few keywords will be filtered out at the earliest stage.
  What to Do: Use simple layouts that are ATS friendly, along with adding keywords from the job description you are applying for. Avoid complex images, tables and columns that the ATS software can’t parse.
• Usage of Buzzwords Without Evidence “Team player”, “go-getter”, “hard working” are typically seen as filler words if not proven. Recruiters want proof, not clichés based on personality.
  What to Do: Demonstrate soft skill with delivered initiatives and results. Instead of saying “excellent communicator”, try “Presented monthly status reports to project stakeholders, enhancing alignment and reducing stakes’ revision cycles by 20%.”
• Typos and Grammar MisTypos and Grammar Mistakes in grammar, punctuation, etc., instantly brings in issues with attention to detail, especially for communication and documentation capabilities. What to Do: Proofread always, document proofreaders, proofreaders with tools such as Grammarly or CVPolis’s Ai powered editor, to catch minor mistakes. Having one of your friends or a mentor, review before submission. 

While resume-building continues to respond to AI tools and automation, the basics—the art of storytelling, clarity, and relevance are still able to differentiate you. Minimizing these very common pitfalls will greatly increase your chances of standing out in a crowded pool of applicants.

our platform www.cvpolis.com allows you to leverage AI-powered precision with a humanized approach, for a resume that is equally optimized and authentic.