RESUME MISTAKES
Elevate Your Philosophical Career with a Polished Resume
Turn abstract brilliance into concrete impact—avoid the pitfalls that keep hiring committees guessing.
How This Page Helps
Help philosophers identify and correct resume errors that prevent academic and research employers from recognizing their true value.
Spot vague philosophical jargon that confuses recruiters
Learn how to quantify research impact
Align your resume with academic ATS requirements
Showcase teaching and publication achievements effectively
Common Mistakes That Kill Your Chances
Each mistake includes why it hurts, how to fix it, and before/after examples
Using Overly Abstract LanguageHIGH
Why it hurts
- Hiring panels skim quickly and miss meaning
- ATS cannot parse metaphorical phrasing
- Reduces perceived professionalism
How to fix
- Replace philosophical adjectives with concrete verbs
- Show tangible outcomes of your work
- Use plain‑language summaries
❌ Before
"Engaged in existentially profound discourse that reshaped ontological frameworks."
✓ After
"Led a seminar series on metaphysics attended by 45 graduate students, resulting in a 20% increase in course enrollment."
ATS Tip
Stick to action verbs and measurable results; avoid idiomatic expressions.
Detection Rules
Contains words like 'existential', 'ontological', 'profound' without accompanying metrics
Resumly Tip
Swap abstract adjectives for specific achievements that can be quantified.
Listing Every Philosophical Topic StudiedMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- Dilutes focus on relevant expertise
- Makes resume appear unfocused
- ATS may flag excessive keyword stuffing
How to fix
- Curate topics that match the job description
- Group related subjects under thematic headings
- Prioritize recent or published work
❌ Before
"Studied epistemology, phenomenology, deontology, utilitarianism, existentialism, hermeneutics, and analytic philosophy."
✓ After
"Specialized in epistemology and analytic philosophy, publishing two peer‑reviewed articles on knowledge attribution."
ATS Tip
Target 5–7 high‑impact keywords aligned with the posting.
Detection Rules
List exceeds 6 philosophical sub‑fields
No accompanying achievements
Resumly Tip
Trim the list to the most relevant areas and attach outcomes.
Missing Quantifiable AchievementsHIGH
Why it hurts
- Academic hiring values impact metrics
- Without numbers, contributions seem vague
- ATS often scores resumes on measurable data
How to fix
- Add citation counts, grant amounts, student evaluation scores
- Express teaching load as percentages or class sizes
- Include conference acceptance rates
❌ Before
"Published articles on moral philosophy."
✓ After
"Published 3 articles in peer‑reviewed journals (total 150 citations) and presented at 2 international conferences."
ATS Tip
Include at least one numeric indicator per major accomplishment.
Detection Rules
Bullet points lack digits or percentages
Resumly Tip
Insert citation numbers, grant values, or enrollment figures to give weight to your work.
Using Non‑Standard Section HeadingsLOW
Why it hurts
- ATS may not map custom headings to expected fields
- Recruiters may overlook key sections
- Reduces resume readability
How to fix
- Adopt conventional headings: Education, Research Experience, Publications, Teaching Experience, Skills
- Keep heading hierarchy consistent
❌ Before
"Intellectual Ventures"
✓ After
"Research Experience"
ATS Tip
Match headings to the ATS schema used by academic institutions.
Detection Rules
Section titles not in standard list
Resumly Tip
Replace creative headings with universally recognized ones.
Formatting Guidelines
File Types: PDF, DOCX
Sections: Contact Information, Professional Summary, Education, Research & Publications, Teaching Experience, Relevant Skills
Naming: FirstName_LastName_Philosopher_Resume
Consistency
Length: 1–2 pages
Date Format: Month Year (e.g., September 2023)
Location Format: City, State/Country
Resume Quality Checklist
- Use a clear professional summary that mentions your philosophical focus
- List education first with degrees, institutions, and dates
- Include a separate Publications section with full citations
- Show teaching experience with class size or evaluation scores
- Add grant or fellowship amounts where applicable
- Incorporate at least 5 ATS‑friendly keywords
- Use standard headings and bullet points
- Proofread for grammar and consistent formatting
ATS Alignment Guide
Common ATS Systems: iCIMS, Workday, Greenhouse, Lever
Keyword Strategy: Analytical thinking, Critical analysis, Peer‑reviewed publication, Curriculum development, Grant writing
Heading Format: Use standard headings like 'Education', 'Research Experience', 'Publications', 'Teaching Experience'
Quick Fix Workshop
Paste your current philosopher resume text below
- Replace vague adjectives with concrete achievements
- Add citation counts and grant amounts
- Standardize date and location formats
- Insert ATS‑friendly headings
- Convert philosophical jargon into measurable outcomes
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