RESUME MISTAKES
Stop Letting Resume Mistakes Block Your Chemical Engineering Career
Identify and correct the most common errors that keep hiring managers and ATS from noticing your expertise.
How This Page Helps
This guide helps chemical engineers spot and correct resume mistakes that reduce interview chances, ensuring ATS compatibility and recruiter appeal.
Learn the 7 most damaging resume errors for chemical engineers
See before‑and‑after examples tailored to the industry
Get actionable ATS‑friendly fixes
Download a printable checklist
Understand formatting standards for engineering roles
Common Mistakes That Kill Your Chances
Each mistake includes why it hurts, how to fix it, and before/after examples
Missing Quantifiable AchievementsHIGH
Why it hurts
- Hiring managers can’t gauge impact without numbers
- ATS scores lower when metrics are absent
- Your contributions appear vague and interchangeable
How to fix
- Add specific numbers, percentages, or units to each bullet
- Show cost savings, yield improvements, or project scale
- Use the formula: Action + Metric + Result
❌ Before
Improved reactor efficiency through process redesign.
✓ After
Improved reactor efficiency by 18% through redesign, saving $250K annually.
ATS Tip
Include at least one numeric value per bullet to boost keyword relevance.
Detection Rules
No numbers or units in experience bullets
Only generic verbs like "improved" without context
Resumly Tip
Quantify every achievement to demonstrate measurable impact.
Listing Irrelevant CourseworkMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- Clutters the resume with non‑essential info
- Diverts attention from professional experience
- ATS may deprioritize core engineering keywords
How to fix
- Keep coursework only if you’re a recent graduate
- Replace with relevant certifications or projects
- Move essential classes to a separate 'Relevant Coursework' section if needed
❌ Before
Relevant Coursework: Introduction to Philosophy, World History, Organic Chemistry I.
✓ After
Relevant Coursework: Process Design, Reaction Engineering, Safety Engineering (Senior Year).
ATS Tip
Prioritize industry‑specific courses that match job descriptions.
Detection Rules
Course list includes unrelated humanities subjects
Course titles not aligned with chemical engineering
Resumly Tip
Show only engineering‑focused coursework that adds value to the role.
Using Non‑Standard Section TitlesLOW
Why it hurts
- ATS may not map custom headings to expected sections
- Recruiters skim quickly and may miss key information
- Inconsistent titles look unprofessional
How to fix
- Use conventional headings: Professional Summary, Core Competencies, Professional Experience, Education, Certifications
- Avoid creative titles like "My Story" or "What I Do"
- Keep formatting consistent across all sections
❌ Before
What I Do
✓ After
Professional Experience
ATS Tip
Standard headings improve parsing accuracy for most ATS platforms.
Detection Rules
Section titles deviate from common industry norms
Headers contain colloquial language
Resumly Tip
Stick to universally recognized section names for clarity and ATS compatibility.
Including Unnecessary Personal DetailsMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- Takes up valuable space on a limited‑length resume
- Can introduce unconscious bias
- ATS ignores personal data, so it adds no value
How to fix
- Remove marital status, hobbies unrelated to engineering, and photos
- Keep only name, phone, email, LinkedIn, and city/state
- If hobbies are relevant (e.g., robotics club), place them under a brief 'Interests' line
❌ Before
Married, 32 years old, enjoys mountain biking and cooking Italian food.
✓ After
(Removed – not included)
ATS Tip
Focus on professional information; personal details are ignored by ATS.
Detection Rules
Presence of age, marital status, or unrelated hobbies
Personal pronouns used in contact section
Resumly Tip
Limit personal info to contact details and a concise professional summary.
Poor Keyword Optimization for Chemical EngineeringHIGH
Why it hurts
- ATS may rank the resume low if key industry terms are missing
- Recruiters searching for specific skills may overlook the candidate
- Reduces chances of passing initial screening
How to fix
- Extract keywords from job postings (e.g., "reactor design", "HAZOP", "process scale‑up")
- Incorporate them naturally throughout summary, skills, and experience bullets
- Use both full terms and common abbreviations
❌ Before
Worked on process improvement projects in a manufacturing plant.
✓ After
Led process scale‑up projects, optimizing reactor design and conducting HAZOP studies to improve safety compliance and increase throughput by 12%.
ATS Tip
Aim for 5‑7 core keywords that appear in the target job description.
Detection Rules
Lack of industry‑specific terms
Only generic phrases like "process improvement" without technical keywords
Resumly Tip
Match your resume language to the exact terminology used in chemical engineering job ads.
Formatting Guidelines
File Types: PDF, DOCX
Sections: Contact Information, Professional Summary, Core Competencies, Professional Experience, Education, Certifications, Publications, Patents
Naming: FirstName_LastName_ChemicalEngineer_Resume
Consistency
Length: 1‑2 pages for early‑career, up to 3 pages for senior roles
Date Format: MM/YYYY
Location Format: City, State
Resume Quality Checklist
- Use a professional email address
- Include a concise summary with key chemicals/processes
- List core competencies with industry‑specific keywords
- Show quantifiable results for every project
- Standardize dates as MM/YYYY
- Use standard section headings
- Proofread for spelling and unit consistency
- Save as PDF before submitting
ATS Alignment Guide
Common ATS Systems: Taleo, iCIMS, Workday, Greenhouse, Lever
Keyword Strategy: Process optimization, reactor design, scale‑up, safety compliance, HAZOP, CFD, Six Sigma, ISO 9001
Heading Format: Use standard headings like Professional Experience, Education, Skills
Quick Fix Workshop
Paste your current resume text
- Add quantifiable results
- Replace generic verbs with action verbs
- Insert industry‑specific keywords
- Standardize dates and locations
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