RESUME MISTAKES
Avoid These Resume Pitfalls and Get Hired as an Occupational Therapist
Identify and correct the critical mistakes that keep hiring managers from seeing your value.
How This Page Helps
This guide helps occupational therapists pinpoint frequent resume mistakes, understand why they hurt, and apply actionable fixes to improve ATS compatibility and recruiter appeal.
Spot hidden errors that ATS may reject
Learn concise, outcome‑focused language
Align your experience with OT industry standards
Optimize formatting for readability
Access tools to instantly rewrite problem sections
Common Mistakes That Kill Your Chances
Each mistake includes why it hurts, how to fix it, and before/after examples
Using a generic objective statementMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- Objective is vague and adds no value
- Takes up space better used for achievements
- ATS keywords are missed
How to fix
- Replace objective with a professional summary highlighting specialties and outcomes
- Incorporate 3–5 OT‑specific keywords
- Focus on measurable impact
❌ Before
Objective: Seeking a position as an occupational therapist where I can help patients.
✓ After
Professional Summary: Certified OT with 5+ years improving functional independence for pediatric and geriatric patients, achieving a 30% reduction in therapy duration through evidence‑based interventions.
ATS Tip
Include keywords like 'pediatric', 'geriatric', 'functional independence', 'evidence‑based'
Detection Rules
Contains the word 'objective'
Length < 30 words
Lacks quantifiable metrics
Resumly Tip
Swap objective for a summary that showcases your top achievements and OT specialties.
Listing duties instead of achievementsHIGH
Why it hurts
- Doesn't demonstrate impact
- Hiring managers skim for results
- ATS favors action verbs and metrics
How to fix
- Start each bullet with a strong verb
- Quantify outcomes (e.g., % improvement, number of patients)
- Showcase interdisciplinary collaboration
❌ Before
• Conducted patient assessments and created treatment plans.
✓ After
• Assessed 25+ patients weekly and designed individualized treatment plans, increasing functional scores by an average of 22%.
ATS Tip
Begin bullets with verbs like 'assessed', 'implemented', 'improved' and embed numbers.
Detection Rules
Bullets start with 'responsible for' or 'duties include'
No numbers present
Length > 15 words without metrics
Resumly Tip
Transform duty statements into achievement‑focused bullet points with data.
Omitting licensure and certificationsHIGH
Why it hurts
- Licensure is mandatory for OT roles
- Missing credentials cause automatic rejection
- ATS may filter out unlicensed candidates
How to fix
- Create a dedicated 'Licensure & Certifications' section
- List state license number, expiration, and certifications like NBCOT
- Place this section near the top of the resume
❌ Before
Education: B.S. in Occupational Therapy, XYZ University
✓ After
Licensure & Certifications: Licensed OT, State of California (License #123456, expires 2026); Certified Hand Therapist (CHT), NBCOT
ATS Tip
Use exact credential titles and include license numbers.
Detection Rules
No section titled 'Licensure' or 'Certifications'
Only education listed
Missing 'NBCOT' keyword
Resumly Tip
Add a clear, keyword‑rich licensure section to satisfy both ATS and recruiters.
Using inconsistent date formatsLOW
Why it hurts
- Confuses ATS parsing
- Looks unprofessional
- Makes timeline unclear
How to fix
- Adopt a uniform format like 'Month YYYY – Month YYYY' or 'MM/YYYY – MM/YYYY'
- Align dates to the right margin
- Avoid abbreviations like 'Sept'
❌ Before
Jan 2020 – 2022
✓ After
January 2020 – December 2022
ATS Tip
Standardize dates to 'Month YYYY' for better parsing.
Detection Rules
Mixed month abbreviations
Date ranges without year
Inconsistent spacing
Resumly Tip
Apply a single date style across all entries for clean ATS ingestion.
Neglecting soft skills relevant to OTMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- OT roles require communication, empathy, teamwork
- ATS may search for soft‑skill keywords
- Recruiters look for cultural fit
How to fix
- Weave soft skills into achievement bullets
- Add a 'Core Competencies' section with terms like 'Patient Education', 'Interdisciplinary Collaboration'
- Provide brief examples demonstrating those skills
❌ Before
Core Skills: Therapy, Documentation
✓ After
Core Competencies: Patient‑Centered Care, Interdisciplinary Collaboration, Adaptive Equipment Training, Documentation Compliance
ATS Tip
Include soft‑skill keywords that match job postings.
Detection Rules
Core Skills list <3 items
No soft‑skill terms
Only technical terms
Resumly Tip
Expand your skills list to reflect both clinical and interpersonal strengths.
Formatting Guidelines
File Types: PDF, DOCX
Sections: Header, Professional Summary, Licensure & Certifications, Core Competencies, Experience, Education, Professional Development
Naming: FirstName_LastName_OT_Resume
Consistency
Length: 1–2 pages (ideal for 0–10 years experience)
Date Format: Month YYYY
Location Format: City, State
Resume Quality Checklist
- Use a professional summary instead of an objective
- Showcase achievements with numbers
- Include a Licensure & Certifications section
- Standardize all dates to Month YYYY
- Add a Core Competencies section with OT‑specific soft skills
- Use ATS‑friendly headings
- Limit resume to 1–2 pages
- Save as PDF for submission
- Proofread for spelling and grammar errors
- Tailor keywords to each job description
ATS Alignment Guide
Common ATS Systems: Taleo, iCIMS, Workday, Greenhouse, Jobvite
Keyword Strategy: Include terms like 'functional independence', 'evidence‑based', 'patient outcomes', 'interdisciplinary', 'rehabilitation', 'NBCOT', 'pediatric', 'geriatric'
Heading Format: Use standard headings such as 'Professional Summary', 'Licensure & Certifications', 'Core Competencies', 'Experience', 'Education'
Quick Fix Workshop
Paste the bullet point you want to improve
- Convert duty to achievement
- Add quantifiable results
- Insert OT‑specific keywords
- Standardize date format
- Optimize for ATS readability
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