RESUME MISTAKES
Stop Losing Oil & Gas Jobs to Resume Mistakes
Identify and fix the most common errors petroleum engineers make on their resumes.
How This Page Helps
Help petroleum engineers create a high‑impact, ATS‑friendly resume that showcases technical expertise and project leadership.
Spot hidden ATS blockers
Learn industry‑specific keyword usage
See before‑and‑after resume snippets
Apply proven formatting rules for engineering roles
Access a quick‑fix workshop to rewrite key sections
Common Mistakes That Kill Your Chances
Each mistake includes why it hurts, how to fix it, and before/after examples
Vague job descriptionsHIGH
Why it hurts
- Hiring managers can’t gauge your impact
- ATS may miss key technical verbs
How to fix
- Quantify results with numbers
- Start bullet points with action verbs
- Include specific equipment, software, or project types
❌ Before
Designed drilling procedures and improved efficiency.
✓ After
Designed and implemented drilling procedures for 3 offshore wells, boosting drilling efficiency by 12% and reducing non‑productive time by 8 days.
ATS Tip
Use exact terms like “drilling procedures”, “offshore wells”, and “non‑productive time”.
Detection Rules
Bullet points lack numbers
No industry keywords present
Resumly Tip
Add measurable outcomes and specific tools to each bullet.
Missing industry certificationsMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- Certifications like PE, PMP, or H2S safety are filters for many recruiters
- ATS often scans for these credentials
How to fix
- Create a dedicated Certifications section
- List certification name, issuing body, and date
- Place it near the top of the resume
❌ Before
Certifications: None listed.
✓ After
Certifications: Professional Engineer (PE) – Texas Board of Professional Engineers, 2022; H2S Safety Training – IOGP, 2023; PMP – PMI, 2021.
ATS Tip
Include exact certification abbreviations (PE, PMP, H2S)
Detection Rules
No Certifications heading
Keyword list missing certification names
Resumly Tip
Add a Certifications section with full titles and dates.
Improper date format causing confusionLOW
Why it hurts
- Hiring managers can’t quickly see career timeline
- ATS may misinterpret month/year order
How to fix
- Use consistent “MMM YYYY” format (e.g., Jan 2020 – Dec 2022)
- Align dates to the right side of the page
- Avoid using words like ‘Present’ without a start date
❌ Before
Jan 2020 – 2022
✓ After
Jan 2020 – Dec 2022
ATS Tip
Standardize dates to “MMM YYYY” for all entries.
Detection Rules
Date strings not matching regex ^[A-Za-z]{3} \d{4}$
Resumly Tip
Replace all dates with the uniform format.
Overly technical jargon without contextMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- Recruiters outside the niche may not understand
- ATS may not map obscure acronyms to keywords
How to fix
- Pair each technical term with a brief result or purpose
- Spell out acronyms on first use
- Balance technical depth with business impact
❌ Before
Optimized ESP and ESP‑WAG cycles.
✓ After
Optimized Electrical Submersible Pump (ESP) and ESP‑Water Alternating Gas (WAG) cycles, increasing oil recovery by 5% per well.
ATS Tip
Include both the acronym and full phrase to capture keyword variations.
Detection Rules
Acronyms appear without definition
Bullets lack outcome statements
Resumly Tip
Define acronyms and tie them to measurable results.
Formatting Guidelines
File Types: PDF, DOCX
Sections: Header, Professional Summary, Core Competencies, Professional Experience, Education, Certifications, Technical Skills, Publications (optional)
Naming: FirstName_LastName_PetroleumEngineer_Resume
Consistency
Length: 1‑2 pages for early‑career, up to 3 pages for senior engineers
Date Format: MMM YYYY
Location Format: City, State (or Country)
Resume Quality Checklist
- Use a clear, professional header with contact info
- Write a 3‑sentence summary highlighting oil & gas expertise
- Include quantifiable achievements for each role
- List relevant certifications and licenses
- Incorporate industry keywords from job postings
- Maintain consistent date and location formatting
- Save as PDF with searchable text
ATS Alignment Guide
Common ATS Systems: iCIMS, Taleo, Workday, Greenhouse
Keyword Strategy: Use terms like “reservoir simulation”, “well completion”, “production optimization”, “HSE compliance”, “project cost control”
Heading Format: Use standard headings such as “Professional Experience”, “Education”, “Certifications”, “Technical Skills” to ensure ATS parsing.
Quick Fix Workshop
Paste a bullet point or short paragraph from your current resume
- Add quantifiable metrics
- Insert specific oil‑field terminology
- Convert passive voice to active
- Standardize date format
Ready to land your next oilfield role? Let Resumly polish your resume today!
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