RESUME MISTAKES
Stop Resume Mistakes From Silencing Your Career
A quick guide for hearing specialists to turn a flawed resume into a hiring magnet.
How This Page Helps
Help hearing specialists identify and correct resume errors that hinder job prospects, especially in audiology clinics, hospitals, and private practice.
Identify the most damaging resume mistakes specific to hearing specialists
Learn actionable fixes that improve ATS compatibility
Get formatting rules that showcase clinical expertise
Access a downloadable workshop to rewrite your resume quickly
Common Mistakes That Kill Your Chances
Each mistake includes why it hurts, how to fix it, and before/after examples
Missing Licensure DetailsHIGH
Why it hurts
- Employers can’t verify your legal ability to practice
- ATS often scans for license keywords and may reject the file
- Lack of licensure suggests incomplete qualifications
How to fix
- Create a dedicated "Licensure" section
- List state, license number, and expiration date
- Include the exact phrase "Hearing Aid Specialist License"
❌ Before
License: ABC123
✓ After
Licensure State: California License #: ABC123 Expiration: 07/2026
ATS Tip
Use the exact keyword "Hearing Aid Specialist License" and place it under a standard heading
Detection Rules
Search for missing "Licensure" or "License" headings
Check for absence of state and expiration date
Resumly Tip
Add a Licensure section with state, number, and renewal date to satisfy both recruiters and ATS.
Generic Objective Instead of Targeted SummaryMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- Objective statements are often ignored by ATS
- A generic goal doesn’t highlight your audiology expertise
- Recruiters prefer a concise value‑prop summary
How to fix
- Replace the objective with a 2‑3 sentence professional summary
- Mention years of experience, key clinical skills, and the type of setting you seek
- Incorporate keywords like "audiometric testing" and "patient counseling"
❌ Before
Objective: Seeking a challenging position where I can grow.
✓ After
Professional Summary: Certified Hearing Specialist with 5+ years delivering comprehensive audiometric assessments, hearing aid fittings, and patient education in outpatient clinics. Proven track record of improving patient satisfaction scores by 20% and adept at navigating FDA regulations.
ATS Tip
Start the summary with a keyword‑rich phrase such as "Certified Hearing Specialist"
Detection Rules
Look for headings titled "Objective"
Check if the paragraph contains no industry‑specific terms
Resumly Tip
Swap the Objective for a targeted Summary that showcases your clinical impact and relevant keywords.
Listing Unrelated Retail Experience Without RelevanceLOW
Why it hurts
- Non‑clinical jobs can dilute your professional narrative
- ATS may rank the resume lower if the majority of experience isn’t healthcare‑related
- Hiring managers may question your career focus
How to fix
- Only keep unrelated roles if you can tie them to transferable skills
- Re‑frame duties to highlight customer service, communication, and documentation
- If no relevance, move the job to an optional "Additional Experience" section or omit it
❌ Before
Sales Associate, Retail Store June 2018 – Aug 2020 - Assisted customers with purchases
✓ After
Customer Service Representative (Retail) – Emphasized active listening, documentation of client interactions, and problem‑solving, skills directly applicable to patient counseling in audiology settings
ATS Tip
Include at least one relevant keyword (e.g., "patient communication") in the bullet points
Detection Rules
Identify experience entries without clinical keywords
Check if the role is older than 10 years and unrelated
Resumly Tip
Trim or re‑frame unrelated jobs to keep the focus on audiology expertise.
Improper Date Formatting That Confuses ATSMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- ATS may fail to parse dates and treat the section as plain text
- Inconsistent formats look unprofessional to recruiters
- Incorrect chronology can hide gaps or overlaps
How to fix
- Use a uniform MM/YYYY format for all dates
- Place dates on the right side of the line for readability
- Ensure start dates precede end dates and use "Present" for current roles
❌ Before
June 2019 – August 2021
✓ After
06/2019 – 08/2021
ATS Tip
MM/YYYY is the most universally recognized format for ATS parsers
Detection Rules
Search for month names or mixed formats like "June 2019"
Check for missing end dates
Resumly Tip
Standardize every date to MM/YYYY to guarantee ATS readability.
Overloading with Technical Jargon Without ContextLOW
Why it hurts
- Recruiters may not understand obscure acronyms
- ATS might not match keywords if they’re embedded in long strings
- Excessive jargon can obscure measurable achievements
How to fix
- Pair each technical term with a brief outcome or metric
- Limit acronyms to those commonly recognized in audiology (e.g., PTA, ABR)
- Provide plain‑language explanations when first introduced
❌ Before
Performed OAE, ABR, and tympanometry assessments.
✓ After
Conducted Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) and Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) tests, resulting in a 15% increase in early‑diagnosis accuracy for pediatric patients
ATS Tip
Include both the acronym and the full term to capture keyword variations
Detection Rules
Detect long strings of acronyms without accompanying results
Check for missing explanations of technical terms
Resumly Tip
Balance technical language with clear outcomes to satisfy both ATS and human readers.
Formatting Guidelines
File Types: PDF, DOCX
Sections: Contact Information, Professional Summary, Licensure, Clinical Experience, Education, Certifications, Professional Affiliations, Skills
Naming: FirstName_LastName_HearingSpecialist_Resume
Consistency
Length: 1‑2 pages for early‑career, up to 3 pages for senior specialists
Date Format: MM/YYYY
Location Format: City, State
Resume Quality Checklist
- Include a clear Licensure section with state and expiration
- Start with a keyword‑rich Professional Summary
- Use MM/YYYY for all dates
- Limit resume to 2 pages unless you have 10+ years of experience
- Incorporate at least 8 industry‑specific keywords
- Save as PDF with a professional file name
ATS Alignment Guide
Common ATS Systems: iCIMS, Workday, Taleo, Greenhouse
Keyword Strategy: Hearing aid fitting, audiometric testing, patient counseling, FDA regulations, hearing conservation, PTA, ABR, OAE
Heading Format: Use standard headings like "Professional Experience" and "Licensure"
Quick Fix Workshop
Paste your current resume text into the box below
- Extract licensure info
- Reformat dates to MM/YYYY
- Add targeted audiology keywords
- Convert headings to ATS‑friendly titles
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