Many capable professionals are filtered out before an interview simply because their resume undersells them. The good news: most resume problems are structural and fixable. Here are the issues we see most often.
Listing duties instead of contributions
'Responsible for handling customer queries' describes the job, not you. Wherever possible, describe what you actually did and what changed because of it: volumes handled, processes improved, targets met, problems solved. Even approximate, honest indicators of scale make a resume far more concrete.
One resume for every application
Recruiters scan for relevance in seconds. A resume tailored to the role — with the most relevant experience and skills placed prominently — consistently performs better than a generic one. Tailoring usually means reordering and rewording, not rewriting from scratch.
Weak first half-page
The top third of your resume gets the most attention. Use it for a short, specific professional summary and your strongest, most relevant points — not for a generic objective statement or a long list of personal details.
Formatting that fights the reader
Dense paragraphs, inconsistent fonts, tables that break in applicant tracking systems — formatting problems bury good content. Keep the layout simple: clear section headings, consistent bullet style, adequate white space, and a length of one to two pages for most experience levels.
Unexplained gaps and inconsistencies
Dates that don't line up or unexplained gaps raise questions you never get to answer. Address significant gaps briefly and honestly — study, family responsibilities, freelance work — rather than leaving them open to assumption.
JTB Consultancy provides resume and profile-building support if you would like a professional review of how your experience is presented.