u/Aether_Runn3r

Alright, I’m gonna rant a bit because after helping screen resumes for a few open dev roles at my company (and also suffering through my own job hunt not that long ago), I’ve realized something: a lot of people in IT aren’t getting rejected because they’re bad  they’re getting rejected because their resumes are doing them dirty.

Mistake #1: Turning your resume into a novel

I swear some people think more text = more impressive. I’ve seen junior dev resumes that are 3–5 pages long.For someone with maybe one internship and a couple of uni projects.

Example of what I mean:“Participated in a collaborative academic project focused on developing a web-based solution…”

Just say:“Built a web app with X tech that does Y.”

Nobody wants to dig through paragraphs to figure out what you actually did. If I can’t skim your resume in like 20–30 seconds and get the gist, it’s already working against you.

Mistake #2: Saying things that sound good but mean nothing

This one is everywhere. Stuff like:

• “Worked with APIs”
• “Improved application performance”
• “Helped develop backend systems”

Real example: a candidate wrote “improved app performance.” In the interview, they casually mentioned they reduced page load time by ~50%. That’s INSANE. That should’ve been front and center.

Like: “Reduced page load time from 4s to 2s by optimizing API calls and implementing caching.”

Mistake #3: Buzzword overdose

You know those skill sections that look like:

JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, Java, C#, C++, Go, Rust, Docker, Kubernetes, AWS, Azure, GCP, TensorFlow, React, Angular, Vue…

Congrats, you’ve unlocked every achievement apparently.

But here’s the problem: it feels fake. Or at best, super shallow. My HR friend literally calls this “keyword stuffing panic mode.”

If you’ve used something once in a tutorial, it probably shouldn’t sit next to tools you actually use daily. Depth > breadth, especially for junior/mid roles.

Mistake #4: No proof of work

This one genuinely confuses me. It’s IT. You can SHOW your work.

And yet:

• No GitHub
• No portfolio
• No project links

Or my favorite: “Projects available upon request” Even if your code isn’t perfect  nobody expects perfection. But seeing how you structure things, name variables, write commits… that matters a lot.

Mistake #5: Terrible formatting

I’ve seen resumes that look like:

• 4–5 different fonts
• random bolding everywhere
• giant walls of text
• no spacing at all

One legit looked like a Terms & Conditions page. Another had colored headings, underlined skills, and emojis (I wish I was joking).

Clean. Simple. Readable. That’s it. You’re not designing a poster.

Mistake #6: Sending the same resume everywhere

This is a big one. People mass-apply with the exact same resume to backend, frontend, full-stack, even DevOps roles.

My HR friend (I’ll get to her tips in a sec) said this is one of the fastest ways to get filtered out. If the job is backend-heavy and your resume screams frontend with React everywhere and Node buried at the bottom, it’s obvious you didn’t tailor anything.

Now, some advice that actually helped me (and stuff my HR friend keeps repeating like a broken record):

Tip from me #1: Be painfully specific

Instead of:“Worked on authentication system”

Say:“Implemented JWT-based authentication with refresh tokens; reduced unauthorized access issues and improved session handling.”

Tip from me #2: Put your strongest stuff first

Not your GPA. Not your random coursework. Your BEST project or most relevant experience should be near the top.

Think: “If they only read the first half, do I still look hireable?”

Now, HR friend wisdom (she works in tech recruiting and has seen thousands of resumes):

Tip #3 (her words): “Stop writing for humans first  write for filters first.”

A lot of companies use ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems), and if your resume doesn’t include keywords from the job description, it might not even reach a human.

BUT  don’t just spam keywords. Use them naturally.

Bad:“Python Python Python Django AWS REST API”

Good:“Developed REST APIs using Python and Django; deployed on AWS.”

Tip #4: “If I have to guess what you did, I assume you didn’t do much.”

She says this all the time. Vagueness kills resumes. Recruiters don’t have time to interpret your experience  they’ll just move on.

So if you:

• improved something → say by how much
• built something → say what it does
• used tools → say how you used them

Tip #5: “Your resume should match the job title you’re applying for.”

If the role is “Backend Developer,” your resume should feel like a backend dev wrote it.

That means:

• backend projects first
• relevant tech highlighted
• less emphasis on unrelated stuff

Seems obvious, but apparently people mess this up constantly.

Honestly, the frustrating part is I’ve seen people with solid skills get ignored because their resume just didn’t communicate it.

Meanwhile, someone with average skills but a clean, sharp resume gets the interview.

It’s kind of unfair… but also very real.

Anyway, I’ve rambled enough. Curious  what’s the biggest resume mistake you’ve seen (or made) that you didn’t realize was a problem at the time?