RESUME MISTAKES
Stop Losing Jobs Over Your Resume
Identify and fix the biggest industrial engineer resume mistakes that keep hiring managers from calling you back.
How This Page Helps
This guide helps industrial engineers spot critical resume errors, understand why they hurt, and apply actionable fixes to boost ATS compatibility and recruiter appeal.
Spot the top 7 resume mistakes specific to industrial engineering
Learn why each mistake reduces your chances
Get exact before‑and‑after phrasing examples
Apply ATS‑friendly formatting tips
Use Resumly’s checklist and mini‑workshop to rewrite instantly
Common Mistakes That Kill Your Chances
Each mistake includes why it hurts, how to fix it, and before/after examples
Vague Objective StatementHIGH
Why it hurts
- Provides no value to recruiters
- Fails to include keywords
- Makes you look unfocused
How to fix
- Replace with a concise professional summary
- Highlight 2‑3 core engineering achievements
- Embed relevant industry keywords
❌ Before
Objective: Seeking a challenging position where I can grow.
✓ After
Professional Summary: Industrial Engineer with 5+ years optimizing manufacturing processes, reducing waste by 15% and leading cross‑functional Kaizen projects. Proven expertise in Lean, Six Sigma, and CAD‑based system design.
ATS Tip
Use the term “Industrial Engineer” and specific tools (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma) early.
Detection Rules
Contains the word 'Objective'
Length < 30 words
Lacks quantifiable metrics
Resumly Tip
Swap the objective for a summary that showcases impact and keywords.
Listing Responsibilities Instead of AchievementsMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- Recruiters skim for results
- ATS favors numbers and action verbs
- Makes you blend with other candidates
How to fix
- Start each bullet with a strong verb
- Quantify results (percent, dollars, time)
- Focus on outcomes you drove
❌ Before
Responsible for managing production schedules and coordinating with suppliers.
✓ After
Optimized production schedules, cutting lead time by 12% and coordinating with 20+ suppliers to maintain on‑time delivery rates of 98%.
ATS Tip
Begin bullets with verbs like ‘Optimized’, ‘Reduced’, ‘Implemented’.
Detection Rules
Bullets start with ‘Responsible for’ or ‘Managed’ without metrics
No numbers present
Resumly Tip
Turn duties into results; add numbers.
Omitting Technical Skills SectionHIGH
Why it hurts
- ATS scans for specific software/tools
- Hiring managers look for tool proficiency
- You miss keyword matches
How to fix
- Create a dedicated ‘Technical Skills’ section
- List relevant software (e.g., AutoCAD, Arena PLM, Minitab)
- Include methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma, TPM)
❌ Before
Skills: Good at problem solving.
✓ After
Technical Skills: AutoCAD, SolidWorks, Minitab, Arena PLM, Python (pandas), Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma (Green Belt), Value Stream Mapping.
ATS Tip
Match the exact terminology from the job posting.
Detection Rules
No separate skills heading
Only generic soft‑skill terms
Resumly Tip
Add a concise, keyword‑rich technical skills list.
Incorrect Date FormattingLOW
Why it hurts
- ATS may not parse dates
- Creates visual inconsistency
- Confuses hiring managers
How to fix
- Use month‑year format (MMM YYYY)
- Align dates to the right
- Keep consistent throughout
❌ Before
2020 – Present
✓ After
Jan 2020 – Present
ATS Tip
Use ‘MMM YYYY’ (e.g., Jan 2020) for all entries.
Detection Rules
Date contains only year
Mixed formats across sections
Resumly Tip
Standardize all dates to ‘MMM YYYY’.
Overly Long Resume (More than 2 pages)MEDIUM
Why it hurts
- Recruiters spend <6 seconds per resume
- ATS may truncate
- Dilutes key achievements
How to fix
- Trim to 1‑2 pages
- Focus on the last 10 years
- Combine older roles into a summary
❌ Before
Full career history from 2005 to present, 3 pages.
✓ After
Condensed to 2 pages, highlighting most recent 8 years and key projects.
ATS Tip
Keep file size under 1 MB for faster parsing.
Detection Rules
Length > 2 pages
Word count > 800
Resumly Tip
Prioritize recent, relevant experience; remove outdated details.
Formatting Guidelines
File Types: PDF, DOCX
Sections: Contact Information, Professional Summary, Key Achievements, Professional Experience, Technical Skills, Education, Certifications, Professional Affiliations
Naming: FirstName_LastName_IndustrialEngineer.pdf
Consistency
Length: 1‑2 pages (max 2 pages for experienced engineers)
Date Format: MMM YYYY
Location Format: City, State (or Country)
Resume Quality Checklist
- Use a professional summary instead of an objective
- Start every bullet with an action verb and include numbers
- Add a dedicated technical skills section with relevant tools
- Format all dates as ‘MMM YYYY’ and align them right
- Limit resume to 1‑2 pages, focusing on the last 10 years
- Include certifications like Six Sigma Green Belt
- Save as PDF with a clear file name
ATS Alignment Guide
Common ATS Systems: iCIMS, Workday, Greenhouse, Lever, Taleo
Keyword Strategy: Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Process Optimization, CAD, Value Stream Mapping, Cost Reduction, Production Scheduling
Heading Format: Use standard headings like ‘Professional Experience’, ‘Technical Skills’, ‘Education’ to ensure ATS parses sections correctly.
Quick Fix Workshop
Paste your current industrial engineer resume text
- Convert objective to summary
- Add quantifiable results to each bullet
- Create a technical skills list
- Standardize date format
- Trim content to 2 pages
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