RESUME MISTAKES
Turn Your Speech Therapist Resume Into a Hiring Magnet
Identify and correct the most common pitfalls that keep recruiters from seeing your expertise.
How This Page Helps
Help speech therapists create error‑free, ATS‑optimized resumes that showcase clinical expertise and drive interview callbacks.
Spot hidden formatting errors
Learn ATS‑friendly language
See before‑and‑after resume snippets
Apply quick fixes in minutes
Boost confidence for job applications
Common Mistakes That Kill Your Chances
Each mistake includes why it hurts, how to fix it, and before/after examples
Using generic objective statementsHIGH
Why it hurts
- Fails to demonstrate specialized skills
- Gets filtered by ATS keywords
- Doesn't capture employer's needs
How to fix
- Replace objective with a concise professional summary
- Highlight specific speech‑therapy credentials and populations served
- Incorporate relevant keywords like 'AAC', 'speech articulation', 'language development'
❌ Before
Objective: Seeking a position as a speech therapist where I can use my skills.
✓ After
Professional Summary: Board‑certified Speech‑Language Pathologist with 5+ years experience delivering evidence‑based therapy to children with articulation disorders and adults using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).
ATS Tip
Start summary with key certifications and target populations.
Detection Rules
Contains the word 'objective'
Less than 30 words and no specific skill mention
Resumly Tip
Swap objective for a summary that packs keywords and measurable impact.
Listing duties instead of achievementsMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- Provides no evidence of impact
- Makes resume look like a job description
- Reduces recruiter interest
How to fix
- Quantify outcomes (e.g., % improvement)
- Focus on results such as therapy success rates
- Use action verbs
❌ Before
Provided speech therapy to pediatric patients.
✓ After
Delivered individualized speech therapy to 30+ pediatric patients, achieving a 20% increase in articulation scores within 12 weeks.
ATS Tip
Include metrics and relevant keywords like 'outcome measures'.
Detection Rules
Lines start with verbs like 'Provided' without numbers
No percentages or numbers
Resumly Tip
Turn duties into achievement statements with data.
Omitting licensure and certificationsHIGH
Why it hurts
- Licensure is mandatory for hiring
- ATS may filter out unlicensed candidates
- Reduces credibility
How to fix
- Create a dedicated 'Licensure & Certifications' section
- List state license number, expiration, and certifications (e.g., CCC‑SLP)
- Place near top of resume
❌ Before
Skills: Communication, assessment
✓ After
Licensure & Certifications: State License #123456 (Active), Certified Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC‑SLP), ASHA Membership
ATS Tip
Use exact titles as they appear in job postings.
Detection Rules
No section titled 'Licensure' or 'Certifications'
Missing 'License' keyword
Resumly Tip
Add a clear, keyword‑rich licensure section.
Inconsistent date formattingLOW
Why it hurts
- Confuses ATS parsers
- Looks unprofessional
- Makes timeline unclear
How to fix
- Use month-year format (MM/YYYY)
- Keep same style throughout
- Align dates to the right
❌ Before
2018 – 2020
✓ After
01/2018 – 12/2020
ATS Tip
MM/YYYY is universally recognized by ATS.
Detection Rules
Dates contain only years or varied separators
Inconsistent spacing
Resumly Tip
Standardize all dates to MM/YYYY.
Overloading with graphics or tablesMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- ATS cannot read embedded images
- Important info may be skipped
- File size may exceed limits
How to fix
- Use plain text bullet points
- Avoid tables, columns, and graphics
- Save as .docx or PDF (ATS‑friendly)
❌ Before
Resume includes a colored skill bar chart.
✓ After
Resume lists skills as bullet points with proficiency levels indicated by keywords.
ATS Tip
Stick to simple formatting; ATS reads linear text.
Detection Rules
Contains <table> tags or image references
File type suggestion includes .png
Resumly Tip
Replace visual elements with concise text.
Formatting Guidelines
File Types: docx, pdf
Sections: Contact Information, Professional Summary, Licensure & Certifications, Clinical Experience, Education, Professional Development, Skills
Naming: FirstName_LastName_SpeechTherapist_Resume
Consistency
Length: 1‑2 pages (max 2 pages for experienced therapists)
Date Format: MM/YYYY
Location Format: City, State
Resume Quality Checklist
- Use a professional summary with keywords
- List licensure and certifications prominently
- Show measurable achievements
- Standardize dates to MM/YYYY
- Avoid tables, graphics, and images
- Save as ATS‑friendly .docx or PDF
- Proofread for spelling and grammar
ATS Alignment Guide
Common ATS Systems: Taleo, iCIMS, Workday, Greenhouse, Lever
Keyword Strategy: Include terms like 'speech articulation', 'AAC', 'language development', 'evidence‑based', 'clinical assessment', 'therapy planning'
Heading Format: Use standard headings such as 'Professional Summary', 'Clinical Experience', 'Licensure & Certifications'
Quick Fix Workshop
Paste your current resume text below
- Convert objective to summary
- Add quantifiable results
- Standardize date format
- Insert licensure section
- Remove tables and graphics
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