RESUME MISTAKES
Stop Losing Jobs Over Your Athletic Trainer Resume
Identify the biggest resume errors and apply quick fixes that get you noticed by hiring managers and ATS.
How This Page Helps
This guide helps athletic trainers spot and correct resume mistakes that keep them from landing interviews, ensuring a polished, ATS‑friendly document.
Understand why generic summaries fail
Learn how to showcase certifications and experience
Fix formatting issues that confuse ATS
Add measurable achievements for impact
Use industry‑specific keywords to pass screenings
Common Mistakes That Kill Your Chances
Each mistake includes why it hurts, how to fix it, and before/after examples
Missing or vague professional summaryHIGH
Why it hurts
- Hiring managers can’t quickly grasp your value
- ATS may not match keywords without a clear summary
How to fix
- Write a 3‑sentence summary highlighting your specialty, years of experience, and key certifications
- Include 2–3 targeted keywords such as 'sports injury prevention'
❌ Before
Professional Summary: Experienced athletic trainer.
✓ After
Professional Summary: Certified Athletic Trainer with 5+ years supporting collegiate sports teams, specializing in injury prevention, rehabilitation, and performance optimization. Skilled in emergency care, therapeutic modalities, and athlete education.
ATS Tip
Place the summary at the top and embed core keywords early.
Detection Rules
summary length < 30 words
absence of certification keywords
Resumly Tip
Use our Summary Builder to craft a concise, keyword‑rich intro.
Listing duties instead of achievementsMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- Doesn’t demonstrate impact
- ATS looks for action verbs and results
How to fix
- Start each bullet with a strong verb
- Quantify outcomes (e.g., reduced injury rate by 15%)
❌ Before
• Provided first aid to athletes
✓ After
• Delivered immediate first‑aid care to 120+ athletes, reducing on‑field downtime by 20%.
ATS Tip
Begin bullets with verbs like 'implemented', 'reduced', 'coordinated'.
Detection Rules
bullets start with 'responsible for' or 'assisted with'
Resumly Tip
Our Achievement Enhancer suggests metrics for your duties.
Omitting certifications and licensureHIGH
Why it hurts
- Certifications are mandatory for many employers
- ATS filters for credentials like 'ATC' or 'CPR'
How to fix
- Create a dedicated Certifications section
- List certification name, issuing body, and expiration date
❌ Before
Education: B.S. Kinesiology
✓ After
Certifications: Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC) – NATA, CPR & AED – American Heart Association (expires 06/2026)
ATS Tip
Place certifications near the top, after the summary.
Detection Rules
no certifications section
certifications mentioned only in text
Resumly Tip
Add certifications with our auto‑formatter to match ATS patterns.
Inconsistent date formattingLOW
Why it hurts
- ATS may fail to parse employment dates
- Hiring managers view inconsistency as sloppy
How to fix
- Use month-year format (MM/YYYY) for all entries
- Keep spacing uniform
❌ Before
June 2020 – Present
✓ After
06/2020 – Present
ATS Tip
Standardize dates to MM/YYYY for both experience and education.
Detection Rules
mix of 'June 2020' and '06/2020'
Resumly Tip
Our Date Normalizer converts all dates to the preferred format.
Using graphics or tables that ATS can’t readMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- ATS strips out images, losing content
- Important info may be omitted
How to fix
- Stick to plain text sections
- Use bullet points and simple headings
- If you need a visual, attach a separate portfolio PDF
❌ Before
← graphic of skill bars
✓ After
Skills: Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, Strength & Conditioning, Emergency Care
ATS Tip
Avoid any embedded images, charts, or tables.
Detection Rules
presence of <img>
table tags
Resumly Tip
Our ATS‑Safe Template removes non‑text elements automatically.
Formatting Guidelines
File Types: PDF, DOCX
Sections: Contact Information, Professional Summary, Certifications, Experience, Education, Skills, Professional Affiliations
Naming: FirstName_LastName_AthleticTrainer_Resume
Consistency
Length: 1–2 pages (max 2)
Date Format: MM/YYYY
Location Format: City, State (e.g., Boston, MA)
Resume Quality Checklist
- Include ATC certification
- Use action verbs and metrics
- Standardize dates to MM/YYYY
- Keep resume under 2 pages
- Save as PDF with searchable text
- Tailor keywords to the job description
- Proofread for spelling and grammar
ATS Alignment Guide
Common ATS Systems: Taleo, iCIMS, Workday, Greenhouse, Lever
Keyword Strategy: injury prevention, rehabilitation, athletic training, emergency care, ATC, CPR, strength & conditioning, sports medicine
Heading Format: Use standard headings like 'Professional Summary', 'Certifications', 'Experience', 'Education', 'Skills'
Quick Fix Workshop
Paste your current Athletic Trainer resume text
- Convert summary to keyword‑rich version
- Add measurable achievements
- Standardize date formats
- Create Certifications section
- Strip out images and tables
Ready to transform your Athletic Trainer resume? Get our free fix guide now!
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