7 resume mistakes to avoid when writing your CV.

If you’ve sent off application after application and heard nothing back, you’re not alone, and it rarely means you weren’t good enough for the job. More often, the resume made the recruiter or hiring manager work too hard to see it. Someone screening dozens of applications wants a quick answer to one question: does this person fit? Small resume mistakes have a way of blurring that answer.

That matters more right now. Malaysia’s unemployment rate eased to 2.9% in August 2026, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), yet 68,177 people lost their jobs between January and mid-September, nearly 30% more than a year earlier. Managers, professionals and technicians have made up the largest share of those affected. In practice, more experienced people are applying for the same roles.

The good news is that the mistakes we see most often are also the easiest to fix.

7 common resume mistakes and how to avoid them

1. using an outdated objective statement

Objective statements tell an employer what you want at the very moment they’re trying to work out what you offer. A professional summary does that job far better. In two or three lines, set out your expertise, the result you’re proudest of and the kind of role you’re aiming for. Since it’s the first thing a recruiter reads, it’s also the part most worth adjusting for each application.

2. including reference contact details

There’s no need to end with “references available upon request”. Employers assume you have referees and will ask once you’re shortlisted, so that space is better spent on your experience. It does pay to be ready when that moment comes, though. Keep two or three referees lined up, along with any recommendation or testimonial letters from past employers, so you can share them as soon as you’re asked. Think about who suits the role, too. A former manager can vouch for your technical ability, while someone who reported to you can tell a hiring manager far more about how you lead.

3. using generic or overused resume language

Certain words turn up on almost every resume we read: “hardworking”, “results-driven”, “strategic”. After a while, the eye simply slides past. Vague verbs such as “worked on” have the same effect because they describe effort rather than what you actually do. Use the vocabulary of your field instead, and borrow terms from the job description where they honestly reflect your experience.

weak example:

Strategic, results-driven professional with strong communication skills.

stronger example:

Payroll specialist managing monthly payroll for 1,200 employees across Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.

 4. focusing on job duties instead of achievements

When you write about your job, it feels natural to describe what it involved. But a list of duties only tells a recruiter what you were hired to do, not how well you did it, and employers care a great deal about the difference. In our 2026 Workmonitor, 95% of employers in Malaysia said they value skills and experience over formal qualifications when hiring. Under each role, pick the three or four results you’re proudest of and make the impact clear.

5. including irrelevant information

It’s tempting to include everything, just in case, but knowing what not to put in your resume matters just as much. Every irrelevant line makes the relevant ones harder to find, so early-career roles that no longer support your story, unrelated hobbies and lapsed certifications can usually go.

Personal details deserve a closer look. A photo, your age, race, religion, marital status or full MyKad number still turns up on many resumes, yet none of them belong there. Your MyKad number in particular is sensitive personal data, and an employer won’t need it until much later in the hiring process. Your name, phone number, email address and LinkedIn profile are all a recruiter needs.

6. underselling your skills and achievements

Many of the candidates we meet have achieved far more than their resumes let on. Most of us were taught that talking about our successes sounds boastful, so “led the project” quietly becomes “assisted with” and “I” turns into “we”. A recruiter can only assess what’s on the page, though. If you led a team of four to launch a new client portal, say so plainly. It isn’t bragging when it’s true.

7. using the same resume for every job application

A general resume reads as though it was written for no one in particular. Tailoring it doesn’t mean starting from scratch, though, and usually comes down to four adjustments:

• Your professional summary, so it speaks to the role.
• The order of your experience, with the most relevant first.
• Your skills section, using the employer’s terms where they match your experience.
• The achievements you highlight, chosen for what this role needs most.

Try not to rule yourself out too quickly, either. Many job descriptions read more like wish lists than checklists, so if you meet the core requirements, apply and let your resume show how your experience transfers. If you’re still getting to grips with how to write a resume, our guide to resume writing covers what every section needs.

resume tips for formatting and ATS

Good resume formatting has two audiences: the recruiter giving your resume a quick first scan, and the applicant tracking system (ATS) that often reads it before they do.

how to format an ATS-friendly resume

An ATS is software that employers and recruitment agencies use to store, sort and search applications. It files your resume into fields such as job titles, dates and skills. If the layout confuses it, information can go missing, and a recruiter searching for exactly your skills might never find you. A few simple habits keep your ATS resume readable:

• Use standard section headings such as Experience, Education and Skills.
• Stick to a single-column layout and a clean font such as Arial or Calibri.
• Keep key information out of tables, text boxes, images and page headers.
• Save your resume as a Word document or PDF unless the employer asks otherwise.
• Use keywords from the job description where they reflect your experience, without stuffing them in. A person reads your resume next.

using AI without adding new resume mistakes

Used well, AI can help you break down a long job description, spot skills you’ve missed or fix a sentence that isn’t quite working, and our guide to AI resume optimisation shows how. The trouble starts when the tool does the writing. The result tends to sound like everyone else’s resume, and recruiters are getting better at spotting AI-generated resumes. Treat anything AI produces as a first draft and rework it in your own voice before it goes in. If you couldn’t comfortably explain a line in an interview, it shouldn’t be there.

how to keep your resume updated and job-ready

These resume writing tips are far easier to follow if you keep your resume up to date as you go, adding new results and skills while they’re still fresh in your mind.

And while a strong resume opens doors, it’s usually a conversation that decides who gets hired. In our 2026 Employer Brand Research, 83% of professionals in Malaysia said in-person contact matters to them when they’re exploring and looking for jobs.

If you’d like an honest view of how your resume reads for the roles you’re targeting, get in touch with our consultants. We’re always happy to talk it through. And when your resume is ready, browse our latest jobs to find roles that suit your experience.

frequently asked questions about resume mistakes