A familiar scenario: You’re a recent grad, armed with a shiny new degree and a sense of determination. You’ve sent out dozens, maybe even hundreds of resumes. You’ve hit “submit” so many times, you’ve lost count. And yet — silence. Not even a soft whisper of interest from employers. What's the deal??
The truth is, the resume you’ve been sending out might be working against you. There’s a lot of bad advice out there — even from top universities. Many job seekers follow outdated or overly generic tips, which can cause their resumes to get lost in the black hole of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) or fail to catch a recruiter’s eye. So, let’s dig into the three biggest mistakes and how to fix them by infusing your resume with the right balance of mindset, magic and mechanics.
Mistake ONE: Mindset Mismatch: How Your Approach Is Sabotaging Your Resume
You might think that a resume is just a list of your experiences and skills. Wrong. Your resume is a story — your career story — and it’s got to be told with the right mindset. Most grads make the mistake of thinking a resume is a formality, rather than a tool for selling yourself.
A weak resume approach might look like this: You list every job you’ve had, every club you’ve joined, without any focus on what matters to the employer. This is a common mindset trap.
THE FIX: Shift your mindset from “Here’s what I’ve done” to “Here’s how I can solve your problems.” Each bullet point should speak directly to the needs of the employer and showcase your strengths. Ask yourself: What does this job require and how can I show that I’m the solution?
But mindset isn’t just about strategy. It’s also about your approach to the job search process itself. You need to bring positivity and confidence into it. Employers can feel your enthusiasm and optimism through your resume. Don’t just go through the motions — focus, stay calm and let your natural excitement for the role shine through.
STAT ALERT: Did you know that 75% of resumes don’t make it past the ATS screening stage? (Gitnux) If your resume isn’t tailored to match the job’s requirements, it’s likely getting filtered out before a human ever sees it. We'll get to more on ATS in a moment.
Mistake TWO: Missing The “Magic” Ingredient — Your Unique Value
Here’s a truth bomb: Too many resumes are bland. I’m talking beige. They follow the same cookie-cutter advice, like listing tasks instead of achievements or worse — having a personal statement that screams “I don’t know what I want.”
What’s missing? The magic — your unique value. Employers want to know what you bring to the table that sets you apart. If your resume reads like everyone else’s, you’re blending in, not standing out.
THE FIX: Infuse your resume with “you.” This means highlighting your accomplishments with specific metrics, showing how you made an impact in past roles. Did you increase social media engagement by 40%? What was the significant impact of that? Put that in there! Created a new process that saved your internship team hours of work each week? What did that mean for the organization? Let them know. Numbers are magical because they give your contributions tangible weight.
TAILORING FOR SUCCES: For example, imagine you’re applying for a marketing role. Instead of listing “Assisted with marketing campaigns,” write “Led a social media campaign that boosted engagement by 25% within three months, reducing customer acquisition by 22%.” This not only shows your initiative but also backs it up with real and meaningful results.
PRO TIP: Avoid generic descriptions and use vocabulary from the job listing itself. If the listing emphasizes teamwork, highlight collaborative projects. This ensures you’re speaking their language and providing solid value.
Mistake THREE: Ignoring The Mechanics Of ATS And Formatting
Too often, resumes fail due to poor mechanics. Sure, creativity matters, but if your resume can’t make it past ATS or a catch the attention of a hiring manager, it’s game over.
A lot of new grads (and pros!) underestimate how much ATS algorithms filter resumes based on formatting, keywords and even minor details like font choice. That sleek design you found on Pinterest? It might look great to you but could be unreadable to an ATS.
THE FIX: First, ensure your resume is ATS-friendly. However, here is a big caveat few people talk about. While 99% of Fortune 500 companies rely on ATS for screening resumes, only about 35% of small businesses do, meaning there's a much higher chance that resumes are reviewed by a real person in smaller companies. This means, you have a lot more leeway with your choice of layout, headlines and font choice.
However, if you are applying to to large companies, yes, pay attention to how ATS will review your resume. Use standard fonts like Arial, Calibri or Helvetic and avoid images, graphs or anything that could confuse the system. Keywords are crucial — pull from the job description and mirror the language used. Include skills that match the job posting, but don’t overdo it with fluff or irrelevant buzzwords.
STAT CHECK: Recruiters spend an average of 7.4 seconds scanning your resume (Forbes). That means the top third of your resume must grab attention. Use this space wisely by including a clear, targeted headline (ideally the job title), a compelling summary and a concise list of relevant skills.
Tailoring your resume for each job application and excluding outdated information (cue the long gone “Objective Statements” section!) ensures you stand out to potential employers.
REAL TALK EXAMPLE: Sammy sent out 100 resumes without tailoring them to any job, thinking “one size fits all.” He didn’t even get a nibble. Meanwhile, Lila updated her resume with tailored headlines and skills for each role she applied to. She landed three interviews in two weeks. Don’t be Sammy — be Lila!
Ready To Take Action And Ditch The Resume Red Flags?
If you’re tired of your resume landing in the “no” pile, it’s time to make some changes so you can eliminate the resume red flags. Start by getting clear on your strengths, crafting a narrative that shows your unique value and formatting it in a way that passes both the human and ATS tests.
If you’re still feeling stuck, my book Launch: The New College Grad’s Guide to Getting Unstuck & Empowering Your Dream Career is packed with actionable tips to determine what's holding you back in your search, including how to fine-tune your resume and land those interviews. Or, start out with some quick feedback by checking out the free Job Search Audit to pinpoint exactly what’s holding you back.
BONUS TIP: If your resume is absolutely solid but you still feel like you’re not making progress, consider creating a personal website or digital portfolio. It’s a game-changer for standing out and showing off your work!
Because at the end of the day, landing your dream job isn’t about luck — it’s about strategy. So, get started and make sure your resume is working for you, not against you.
Let’s make your dream job a reality.
P.S. Ready to discover what it truly means to land your dream job?
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Maria Katrien Angeleva, MA, MA
Certified Coach, Author & Trainer
Dubbed “Professor Dream Job,” by her students, Trie is a former COO and founder of Reimagine Monday. She specializes in helping individuals transform their careers and lives through mindful, strategic approaches. Trie developed and taught career success courses at Indiana University, building on her proven methodology, The Love Monday Method. Her latest release, Launch, designed to help new college grads get unstuck in their search and empower their new career, is now available for pre-order.
With two Master's degrees, a Certificate in Executive Leadership from Cornell University, six coaching certifications and a deep passion for guiding new graduates and professionals in their prime, Trie supports individuals in navigating their career paths with clarity and confidence, and is dedicated to helping YOU turn your dream job into a reality.
Connect with Trie at trie@reimaginemonday.com.
