RESUME MISTAKES
Avoid Costly Resume Mistakes as a Remote Sensing Specialist
Identify and correct the errors that keep hiring managers from seeing your expertise in satellite imagery, LiDAR, and GIS analysis.
How This Page Helps
This page educates Remote Sensing Specialists on frequent resume pitfalls, provides concrete examples, and offers step‑by‑step fixes to improve ATS compatibility and recruiter appeal.
Spot the most overlooked errors that cause ATS rejections
Learn how to quantify remote sensing project outcomes
Get ready‑to‑use phrasing that translates technical work for non‑technical recruiters
Apply formatting rules that keep your resume clean and scannable
Common Mistakes That Kill Your Chances
Each mistake includes why it hurts, how to fix it, and before/after examples
Missing Quantifiable ImpactHIGH
Why it hurts
- Recruiters can’t gauge the scale of your contributions
- ATS often scores resumes higher when numbers are present
- Hiring managers compare candidates on measurable results
How to fix
- Add specific metrics such as area covered, accuracy improvement, or cost savings
- Use percentages, acres, km², or dollar figures where appropriate
- Tie each metric to a business outcome or research objective
❌ Before
"Processed satellite imagery for land‑use classification."
✓ After
"Processed 1,200 km² of multispectral satellite imagery, increasing land‑use classification accuracy by 18% and reducing manual review time by 30 hours per month."
ATS Tip
Include numbers early in bullet points; ATS parsers prioritize digits for relevance scoring.
Detection Rules
/processed.*imagery/i
/land-use classification/i
Resumly Tip
Quantify every project – even small gains matter.
Overly Technical Jargon Without ContextMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- Non‑technical recruiters may not understand specialized terms
- ATS keyword matching can miss isolated acronyms
- The resume becomes unreadable at a glance
How to fix
- Pair each technical term with a brief outcome (e.g., "Applied ENVI for atmospheric correction, resulting in clearer NDVI maps")
- Limit acronyms to the first mention with the full name
- Translate tool‑specific work into business value
❌ Before
"Utilized ENVI, ERDAS, and IDL for radiometric correction."
✓ After
"Utilized ENVI and ERDAS to perform radiometric correction, improving image clarity and enabling a 12% increase in vegetation index accuracy."
ATS Tip
Include both the full term and its common abbreviation (e.g., "Geographic Information System (GIS)") to capture varied ATS vocabularies.
Detection Rules
/ENVI|ERDAS|IDL/
Resumly Tip
Explain why the tool mattered, not just that you used it.
Unclear Career Progression TimelineHIGH
Why it hurts
- Gaps or overlapping dates raise red flags
- ATS may flag inconsistent date formats
- Hiring managers can’t see growth trajectory
How to fix
- Standardize dates to MM/YYYY
- List positions chronologically with clear start/end months
- If there are gaps, add brief freelance or training notes
❌ Before
"Remote Sensing Analyst – 2018 to 2020\nGIS Technician – 2020‑2022"
✓ After
"Remote Sensing Analyst | Jan 2018 – Dec 2020\nGIS Technician | Jan 2021 – Dec 2022"
ATS Tip
Consistent MM/YYYY formatting ensures ATS parses dates correctly and calculates tenure.
Detection Rules
/\d{4}\s*to\s*\d{4}/
/\d{4}‑\d{4}/
Resumly Tip
Align dates to a single format and avoid overlapping months.
Incorrect File Naming and Missing MetadataLOW
Why it hurts
- Recruiters may overlook a file with a vague name
- ATS sometimes extracts metadata for candidate ID
- Unprofessional naming can signal lack of attention to detail
How to fix
- Rename the file to FirstName_LastName_RemoteSensingSpecialist.pdf
- Add document properties: Title, Author, Keywords (e.g., LiDAR, GIS)
❌ Before
"Resume_Final.pdf"
✓ After
"Alex_Martinez_RemoteSensingSpecialist.pdf"
ATS Tip
Use keywords in the file name; some ATS rank resumes higher when the filename matches the job title.
Detection Rules
/Resume_Final\.pdf/
Resumly Tip
A clear, keyword‑rich filename makes a strong first impression.
Lack of Relevant Remote Sensing KeywordsHIGH
Why it hurts
- ATS filters out resumes missing core industry terms
- Hiring managers scan for specific tools and techniques
- Your expertise may be hidden from keyword searches
How to fix
- Incorporate top keywords such as LiDAR, SAR, hyperspectral, GIS, ENVI, ERDAS, image classification, radiometric correction, and geospatial analysis throughout the resume
- Place them in the Summary, Skills, and Experience sections
❌ Before
"Skilled in data analysis and mapping."
✓ After
"Skilled in LiDAR point‑cloud processing, SAR image interpretation, hyperspectral classification, and GIS‑based spatial analysis using ENVI and ERDAS."
ATS Tip
Create a dedicated 'Technical Skills' section with a comma‑separated list of these keywords for optimal ATS parsing.
Detection Rules
/LiDAR|SAR|hyperspectral|GIS|ENVI|ERDAS/
Resumly Tip
Seed your resume with the exact terms recruiters search for.
Formatting Guidelines
File Types: PDF, DOCX
Sections: Contact Information, Professional Summary, Technical Skills, Professional Experience, Education, Certifications, Publications
Naming: FirstName_LastName_RemoteSensingSpecialist.pdf
Consistency
Length: 1‑2 pages for early‑career, up to 3 pages for senior roles
Date Format: MM/YYYY
Location Format: City, State, Country
Resume Quality Checklist
- Use a clean, single‑column layout
- Include a professional summary with 3‑4 lines of impact
- List technical skills in a dedicated section with commas
- Quantify every achievement
- Standardize dates to MM/YYYY
- Save as PDF with a keyword‑rich filename
ATS Alignment Guide
Common ATS Systems: iCIMS, Workday, Greenhouse, Lever
Keyword Strategy: LiDAR, SAR, hyperspectral imaging, GIS, ENVI, ERDAS, image classification, radiometric correction, geospatial analysis
Heading Format: Use standard headings like 'Professional Experience' and 'Technical Skills'
Quick Fix Workshop
Paste your current resume text into the box below
- Highlight missing metrics
- Replace vague terms with specific remote sensing tools
- Reformat dates to MM/YYYY
- Add ATS‑friendly headings
- Insert top industry keywords
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