Top 10 Resume Red Flags (Recruiter Insider Secrets)

The Instant Rejection Checklist

1. Typos in Your Contact Info: If they can't call you, they can't hire you.

2. Unexplained Gaps: Modern recruiters are fine with career breaks, but they hate uncertainty. Briefly label them (e.g., 'Travel', 'Parental Leave').

3. Generic File Names: 'Resume_Final_v3.pdf' looks unprofessional. Use 'FirstName_LastName_Role_2026.pdf'.

Visual & Formatting Offenses

Inconsistent spacing, mismatched bullet styles, and tiny fonts are all signals of poor attention to detail. In a competitive market, these 'small' things become the easiest excuse for a recruiter to move on to the next candidate.