'I only work for ME and no one else!': 20+ resume red flags, according to hiring managers

Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor

Apr 30, 2024 2:00 PM EDT

There is a lot a job candidate can do to mess up their application. Sometimes, it's not exactly their fault. Job postings can be notoriously vague and shady. Who hasn't ended up in an interview where you suddenly realize that this so-called "great opportunity" is far beyond what you thought it would be? However, every so often, the interviewer is not at fault. Sometimes, and I know this may be hard to hear, we may be responsible for not getting hired.

These hiring managers shared what they believe to be the biggest red flags on resumes that they have come across throughout their professional careers. Some of these red flags include listing certificates of baptism under the "Awards" section of a resume, saying you have 5+ years of experience in a 2-year-old software, and good old-fashioned hyperbole that reveals itself in unfortunate ways.

Keep scrolling below for this collection of resume red flags, and if any of these screenshots apply to you, you might consider updating your personal resume as well. For more stories like this, here is the tale of an employee who was fired two days before her wedding, and the HR fiasco that subsequently ensued.