RESUME MISTAKES
Stop Losing Archaeology Jobs to Resume Mistakes
Learn the exact fixes that turn a generic CV into a field‑ready, ATS‑friendly showcase of your expertise.
How This Page Helps
This page helps archaeologists identify frequent resume pitfalls, understand why they hurt hiring chances, and apply concrete fixes that improve ATS compatibility and recruiter appeal.
Identify the 5 most damaging resume errors for archaeologists
Learn why each mistake reduces interview chances
Get step‑by‑step rewrite examples
Apply ATS‑friendly keywords and formatting tips
Common Mistakes That Kill Your Chances
Each mistake includes why it hurts, how to fix it, and before/after examples
Generic Objective StatementHIGH
Why it hurts
- Provides no insight into research focus or specialization
- Fails to include keywords recruiters search for
- Makes the resume blend with unrelated candidates
How to fix
- Replace the objective with a concise professional summary highlighting your archaeological niche, years of experience, and key methodologies
- Incorporate 2–3 targeted keywords such as "prehistoric settlement analysis" or "cultural resource management"
❌ Before
Objective: Seeking a position where I can use my skills and grow professionally.
✓ After
Professional Summary: Experienced archaeological field specialist with 7 years conducting stratigraphic excavations and GIS‑based site analyses across the American Southwest. Proven track record in cultural resource assessments and peer‑reviewed publications.
ATS Tip
Start the summary with a keyword‑rich phrase (e.g., "Archaeological Field Specialist") to match ATS filters.
Detection Rules
/objective/i
/seeking a position/i
Resumly Tip
Swap the objective for a summary that showcases your niche and years of field experience.
Listing Fieldwork Tasks Without ContextMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- Recruiters can’t gauge the scale or impact of your work
- ATS ignores vague verbs like "did" or "helped"
- Missing quantifiable results reduces credibility
How to fix
- Begin each bullet with a strong action verb
- Add measurable details (e.g., number of sites, square meters surveyed)
- Mention the research outcome or publication linked to the work
❌ Before
- Assisted with digging at various sites. - Recorded artifacts.
✓ After
- Led excavation of a 3,200 m² Late Archaic settlement, uncovering 215 diagnostic artifacts and generating data for a peer‑reviewed article. - Cataloged and entered 1,340 artifacts into a GIS database, improving retrieval speed by 45 %.
ATS Tip
Include specific techniques (e.g., "stratigraphic profiling", "radiocarbon dating") that match job descriptions.
Detection Rules
/assisted with/i
/recorded artifacts/i
Resumly Tip
Transform vague duties into quantified achievements that highlight your expertise.
Missing Quantifiable ResultsHIGH
Why it hurts
- Hard to assess your contribution to projects
- ATS often scores resumes higher when numbers are present
- Recruiters skim for impact metrics
How to fix
- Add numbers, percentages, or timeframes to every relevant bullet
- Show cost savings, publication citations, or grant amounts when applicable
❌ Before
- Conducted surveys of historic sites.
✓ After
- Conducted systematic surveys of 12 historic sites, identifying 8 previously undocumented features and securing a $45K grant for further research.
ATS Tip
Numbers act as natural keywords; embed them early in the bullet for maximum visibility.
Detection Rules
/conducted surveys/i
Resumly Tip
Whenever possible, replace generic verbs with results‑driven statements that include concrete data.
Non‑Standard Date FormattingLOW
Why it hurts
- ATS may fail to parse employment dates
- Recruiters can misinterpret employment gaps
How to fix
- Use a consistent MM/YYYY format for all positions and education entries
- Align dates to the right margin for readability
❌ Before
June 2018 – August 2020
✓ After
06/2018 – 08/2020
ATS Tip
MM/YYYY is universally recognized by major ATS platforms.
Detection Rules
/\b(January|February|March|April|May|June|July|August|September|October|November|December)\b/
Resumly Tip
Standardize dates to MM/YYYY to ensure ATS can read them correctly.
Ignoring ATS‑Friendly KeywordsHIGH
Why it hurts
- Resume is filtered out before a human sees it
- Keywords signal relevance to specific archaeological sub‑fields
How to fix
- Review the job posting and embed at least 5 exact keywords throughout the resume (e.g., "GIS mapping", "stratigraphic analysis", "artifact conservation")
- Place keywords in summary, skills, and bullet points
❌ Before
Skills: Research, Writing, Teamwork
✓ After
Skills: GIS mapping, stratigraphic analysis, artifact conservation, cultural resource management, radiocarbon dating
ATS Tip
Match the exact phrasing used in the job description; plural vs. singular matters.
Detection Rules
/skills:/i
Resumly Tip
Run a keyword scan and sprinkle the top matches naturally across your resume.
Formatting Guidelines
File Types: PDF, DOCX
Sections: Contact Information, Professional Summary, Education, Field Experience, Research Projects, Publications, Skills, Certifications, Professional Affiliations
Naming: FirstName_LastName_Archaeology_Resume
Consistency
Length: 1–2 pages (max 2 for senior roles)
Date Format: MM/YYYY
Location Format: City, State/Country
Resume Quality Checklist
- Use a professional summary instead of an objective
- Quantify every fieldwork bullet
- Standardize all dates to MM/YYYY
- Include at least 5 job‑specific keywords
- Use standard headings and order
- Save as PDF with a clear file name
ATS Alignment Guide
Common ATS Systems: iCIMS, Taleo, Workday, Greenhouse
Keyword Strategy: stratigraphic analysis, GIS mapping, artifact cataloging, cultural resource management, radiocarbon dating
Heading Format: Use standard headings like "Professional Experience", "Fieldwork", "Publications"
Quick Fix Workshop
Paste your current archaeology resume text below
- Convert vague bullets into action‑oriented statements
- Add quantifiable metrics to each achievement
- Standardize dates to MM/YYYY
- Insert top ATS keywords for archaeology
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