RESUME MISTAKES
Avoid Costly Resume Errors
Turn your real estate broker resume into a deal‑closing tool
How This Page Helps
Help real estate brokers identify and correct common resume pitfalls to improve interview rates and ATS compatibility.
Spot hidden errors that cost you listings
Learn ATS‑friendly formatting
See before‑and‑after resume examples
Apply quick fixes with our mini workshop
Boost credibility with proper licensing display
Common Mistakes That Kill Your Chances
Each mistake includes why it hurts, how to fix it, and before/after examples
Missing Real Estate License DetailsHIGH
Why it hurts
- Hiring managers can’t verify your legal ability to broker sales
- ATS may filter out candidates without required credentials
How to fix
- Create a dedicated "Licenses" section
- List each license with state, license number, and expiration date
- Place the section near the top of the resume
❌ Before
Licenses: N/A
✓ After
Licenses: - Real Estate Salesperson License, NY, #1234567, Expires 06/2026
ATS Tip
Include exact license titles and state abbreviations as keywords
Detection Rules
Search for keywords "license" or "certification"
Check for missing state abbreviations
Resumly Tip
Never hide your license—list it clearly and early.
Vague Sales MetricsMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- Numbers are the language of real estate; vague statements don’t prove performance
- ATS often scans for quantifiable results
How to fix
- Replace generic phrases with specific figures
- Show total sales volume, number of transactions, and average deal size
- Use percentages to illustrate growth
❌ Before
Responsible for property sales and client relationships.
✓ After
Closed $12M in residential sales across 45 transactions, achieving a 30% increase in annual volume over 2023 target.
ATS Tip
Use keywords like "closed", "sales volume", "transactions", and numeric values
Detection Rules
Look for phrases lacking numbers
Identify generic verbs without metrics
Resumly Tip
Quantify every achievement—numbers sell your story.
Unstandardized Date FormattingLOW
Why it hurts
- Inconsistent dates confuse recruiters and break ATS parsing
- Makes the timeline appear disjointed
How to fix
- Adopt a uniform MM/YYYY format for all positions and licenses
- Align dates to the right margin for easy scanning
❌ Before
Jan 2020 – Present June 2018 – Dec 2019
✓ After
01/2020 – Present 06/2018 – 12/2019
ATS Tip
Consistent date patterns improve ATS extraction accuracy
Detection Rules
Detect mixed month names and numeric formats
Flag missing year components
Resumly Tip
Pick one date style and stick with it throughout.
Overly Creative Section HeadingsMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- ATS looks for standard headings; creative titles may be ignored
- Recruiters skim for familiar sections
How to fix
- Replace creative headings with conventional ones (e.g., "Experience" instead of "My Journey")
- Keep headings concise and capitalized
❌ Before
My Success Stories
✓ After
Professional Experience
ATS Tip
Use common headings like Experience, Education, Licenses, Skills
Detection Rules
Search for non‑standard headings
Match against a whitelist of accepted headings
Resumly Tip
Standard headings = higher ATS visibility.
Missing Real Estate KeywordsHIGH
Why it hurts
- ATS filters out resumes lacking industry‑specific terms
- Hiring managers may think you lack relevant expertise
How to fix
- Incorporate keywords such as "MLS", "property valuation", "negotiation", "client acquisition", "closing ratio"
- Mirror language from the job posting
❌ Before
Managed client relationships and closed deals.
✓ After
Managed client acquisition, leveraged MLS for property listings, negotiated contracts, and achieved a 85% closing ratio.
ATS Tip
Embed keywords naturally throughout Summary, Experience, and Skills sections
Detection Rules
Check for absence of core industry terms
Resumly Tip
Keywords are the bridge between you and the ATS.
Formatting Guidelines
File Types: PDF, DOCX
Sections: Contact Information, Professional Summary, Licenses, Professional Experience, Education, Skills, Certifications
Naming: FirstName_LastName_RealEstateBroker
Consistency
Length: 1-2 pages
Date Format: MM/YYYY
Location Format: City, State
Resume Quality Checklist
- Use a professional email address
- Include a headline with "Real Estate Broker"
- List all active licenses with state and number
- Quantify sales achievements
- Apply consistent MM/YYYY dates
- Use standard section headings
- Incorporate MLS and negotiation keywords
- Proofread for spelling and grammar
ATS Alignment Guide
Common ATS Systems: iCIMS, Greenhouse, Lever, Workday
Keyword Strategy: Real Estate Broker, Property Sales, MLS, Negotiation, Market Analysis, Client Relations, Licensing, Closing Ratio
Heading Format: Use standard headings like Experience, Licenses, Education, Skills
Quick Fix Workshop
Paste your current resume text into the box below
- Trim to 2 pages
- Add quantifiable achievements
- Standardize date format
- Create a dedicated Licenses section
- Insert industry keywords
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