RESUME MISTAKES
Avoid These Resume Pitfalls and Land the Administrative Assistant Role
Learn the exact fixes that turn a mediocre resume into a hiring magnet.
How This Page Helps
Help administrative assistants identify and correct resume mistakes that keep them from getting interviews.
Spot hidden ATS blockers
Rewrite vague job duties into measurable achievements
Choose the right format for admin roles
Polish language and eliminate typos
Align keywords with common admin job postings
Common Mistakes That Kill Your Chances
Each mistake includes why it hurts, how to fix it, and before/after examples
Using a generic objective statementMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- Provides no value to recruiter
- Fails to include keywords
- Looks outdated
How to fix
- Replace objective with a concise professional summary
- Highlight 2-3 key admin skills and achievements
- Incorporate relevant keywords from job ads
❌ Before
Objective: Seeking an administrative assistant position where I can utilize my skills.
✓ After
Professional Summary: Detail‑oriented Administrative Assistant with 4+ years supporting executive teams, managing calendars, and streamlining office operations, resulting in a 15% reduction in scheduling conflicts.
ATS Tip
Start the summary with a strong title and include core admin keywords like 'calendar management' and 'office coordination'.
Detection Rules
Contains the word 'objective'
Length less than 30 words
No quantifiable data
Resumly Tip
Resumly flags generic objectives and suggests a data‑driven summary.
Listing duties instead of achievementsHIGH
Why it hurts
- Doesn't demonstrate impact
- Hard for ATS to match keywords
- Boring to read
How to fix
- Convert duties into results with numbers
- Show how you improved processes
- Use action verbs
❌ Before
Responsible for answering phones and filing documents.
✓ After
Managed multi‑line phone system, handling 80+ calls daily, and reorganized filing system, cutting document retrieval time by 25%.
ATS Tip
Include verbs like 'managed', 'coordinated', and metrics.
Detection Rules
Sentences start with 'Responsible for' or 'Duties include'
Resumly Tip
Turn duties into achievements with quantifiable results.
Using an unprofessional email addressLOW
Why it hurts
- Creates poor first impression
- May be flagged by ATS as spam
How to fix
- Create a simple email using first and last name
- Avoid nicknames or numbers
❌ Before
Email: cutiepie123@gmail.com
✓ After
Email: jane.doe@email.com
ATS Tip
Use a professional domain; avoid symbols.
Detection Rules
Email contains numbers or slang
Resumly Tip
Resumly suggests a clean email format.
Inconsistent date formattingMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- Confuses recruiters
- ATS may misread dates
How to fix
- Use month-year format consistently
- Align dates to the right
❌ Before
June 2019 – 2021
✓ After
Jun 2019 – Jun 2021
ATS Tip
Standardize to 'MMM YYYY' format.
Detection Rules
Dates use mixed formats
Resumly Tip
Resumly highlights date inconsistencies.
Omitting relevant software skillsHIGH
Why it hurts
- Misses key ATS keywords
- Shows lack of tech proficiency
How to fix
- Add a Skills section with admin software
- Include MS Office, Google Workspace, CRM tools
❌ Before
Skills: Organized, Communicative
✓ After
Skills: Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Google Workspace, QuickBooks, Slack, Trello
ATS Tip
Match software listed in job description.
Detection Rules
Skills section lacks software names
Resumly Tip
Resumly recommends adding top admin tools.
Formatting Guidelines
File Types: PDF, DOCX
Sections: Contact Information, Professional Summary, Core Competencies, Professional Experience, Education, Skills, Certifications
Naming: FirstName_LastName_AdminAssistant.pdf
Consistency
Length: One page for early‑career, up to two pages for 5+ years experience
Date Format: MMM YYYY
Location Format: City, State
Resume Quality Checklist
- Use a professional email address
- Write a results‑focused summary
- Quantify achievements in each role
- Standardize dates to MMM YYYY
- Include admin‑specific software keywords
- Proofread for spelling and grammar
- Save as PDF with proper file name
ATS Alignment Guide
Common ATS Systems: Workday, iCIMS, Greenhouse, Lever
Keyword Strategy: calendar management, travel coordination, office administration, Microsoft Office, data entry, customer service
Heading Format: Use standard headings like 'Professional Experience' and 'Skills' to ensure ATS parses sections correctly.
Quick Fix Workshop
Paste your current resume text below
- Replace generic objective with summary
- Convert duties to bullet points with metrics
- Standardize date format
- Add relevant software skills
- Proofread for typos
Ready to transform your admin resume? Get expert feedback now!
Start Free Review
