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Top 5 Resume Mistakes Freshers Make (And How to Fix Them)

Getting your first job can feel overwhelming — especially when you're staring at a blank document, trying to create a “perfect” resume. As someone who’s seen hundreds of fresher resumes through SkillHub, I can tell you this: your resume doesn’t need to be perfect, it just needs to be real, relevant, and readable. Yet, many fresh graduates unknowingly make small mistakes that cost them interview calls. Let’s fix that.

RESUMES

Skillhub by Spacelinkers

6/18/20252 min read

Mistake #1: Using One Generic Resume for All Jobs

The Problem:
Most freshers create one resume and send it to every job — whether it's for a sales intern, a data analyst, or a content writer role.

Why it Hurts You:
Recruiters want to see relevance. A one-size-fits-all resume often fails to show that you're serious about this specific role.

How to Fix It:

Create a core resume, but tweak the objective, skills, and project highlights based on the job you're applying for.
Use keywords from the job description — this helps your resume pass ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems).

Mistake #2: Putting Fancy Designs Over Clarity

The Problem:
Many freshers use colorful, graphic-heavy templates — sometimes even with photos, logos, icons, or charts.

Why it Hurts You:
While design might look attractive to you, recruiters usually spend just 6–10 seconds scanning a resume. If it’s hard to read or not ATS-friendly, it might be skipped.

How to Fix It:

Stick to clean, professional templates — especially in PDF or DOC format.
Avoid tables, columns, and fancy fonts. Simplicity wins.

Mistake #3: Listing Too Many Irrelevant Details

The Problem:
It’s common to see resumes filled with school awards, every minor achievement, hobbies like “watching movies,” or family details.

Why it Hurts You:
Recruiters don’t need your life story. They need a snapshot of your potential and suitability for the job.

How to Fix It:

Highlight academic achievements, internships, certifications, and relevant projects.
Add soft skills like teamwork, communication, or problem-solving with examples.
Remove anything that doesn’t support your job goal.

Mistake #4: Weak or Copy-Paste Career Objective

The Problem:
If your objective says:

“To work in a challenging environment where I can use my skills and grow”
…it sounds like a line copied from the internet. And trust me — recruiters have seen it 1,000 times.

Why it Hurts You:
It doesn't say anything specific about you or your career interest.

How to Fix It:
Write a one-liner objective that reflects your actual career goal.

For example:

“Aspiring digital marketer with hands-on internship experience, eager to grow in a fast-paced marketing team.”

Mistake #5: Typos, Grammatical Errors & Inconsistencies

The Problem:
Even small spelling mistakes like “Reseume” instead of “Resume” or “Managerd” instead of “Managed” can create a bad impression.

Why it Hurts You:
Recruiters may assume you're careless or didn’t put effort into reviewing your own document.

How to Fix It:

Use tools like Grammarly or Microsoft Word spell check
Ask a friend or mentor to proofread
Read your resume aloud — it helps catch weird phrasing or missing words

Final Thoughts: Your Resume = Your Personal Brand

As a fresher, you don’t need to have 5 internships or a glowing portfolio. But you do need to present what you do have clearly, confidently, and professionally.

💡 Pro Tip: At SkillHub, we’re soon launching tools to help you build, complete, and showcase your resume interactively. Stay tuned — or drop your resume at hr@skillhub.sbs for early guidance.

You’re not just applying for a job — you’re starting your career journey. Make it count. 🚀