Getting the interview is the most challenging part of the job hunt. Companies get countless resumes, making it hard to narrow down the people most suited to bring in for an interview. That’s why 24% of hiring managers spend less than 30 seconds looking at each resume.

Unfortunately, many people don’t understand how to make a great resume and make many resume mistakes. Avoid the five mistakes in resume writing below to maximize your chance of getting the job interview.

1. Spelling & Grammar Errors

Even though your resume is your best shot at getting your foot in the door at a company, some people don’t do the bare minimum and proofread their resumes. Because of that, many resumes have numerous spelling and grammar errors. Recruiters notice those errors.

How can an employer expect great things from you if you don’t check your work? Make sure you proofread every part of your resume and eliminate any simple grammatical errors.

2. Including Irrelevant Information

Most of the time, your resume doesn’t make it in front of a human. Many companies use filtering software to exclude resumes that don’t include the skills they’re looking for.

The more irrelevant information you have in your resume, the harder it is for resume software to pick up on industry keywords. Keep irrelevant skills off your resume and include as many relevant skills as possible to the job you’re applying for. This will help your resume get in front of human eyes.

3. Too Complex Of A Design

In most cases, job recruiters aren’t looking at your resume to see how creative you are. They want to quickly see what skills you have to determine if it’s worth interviewing you. Using a unique design that’s hard to read makes it harder for recruiters to do their jobs.

Keep your resume simple and easy to read. A free resume builder with a standard template is all you need to tell recruiters what they need to know about your abilities.

4. Zero Or Too Many References

References are a must when applying for a job. Without someone to back up your skill, it’s hard for an employer to verify that you can handle the job.

Even if you’re applying for a job in a new industry, it still pays to put references for contacts that back up your skills. On the other hand, it’s also a problem when you offer too many references. Only put people as references who are best suited to back you for a new job.

5. Too Much Fluff

You only have a limited space to talk about your job experience. You don’t want to waste that space with fluff that’s irrelevant to the job you’re applying to.

Keep your resume simple and direct. Don’t overexpand on topics and take too much space. Your goal is to fit as much relevant information as possible in a small space.

Don’t Make These Common Resume Mistakes

There is a lot of competition on the market, making it hard to get your resume in front of the right people. Luckily, you can avoid several common resume mistakes to improve your chances. Keep them in mind to better learn how to write a professional resume.

Head back to the blog if you’re interested in learning more tips from career experts to help you land your dream job.