Shock Horror: Recruiters Don’t Read Your Resume

They Scan It for These 10 Red Flags—Here’s How to Stop Getting Ignored.

10 Resume Red Flags Recruiters Always Notice (Yes, in 10 Seconds or Less)

I'm a recruiter. I've seen tens of thousands of resumes, and trust me—I only spend about 10 seconds on each one at first glance (yep, I timed it). We get hundreds, sometimes thousands, a day. Harsh but true: we’re actively looking for reasons to reject rather than accept.

Here are the biggest resume red flags we notice immediately—backed up by real research and my own experiences:

1. Loud, Cluttered Layouts Overly flashy resumes with multiple colors, fonts, or clutter instantly suggest a lack of professionalism. Eye-tracking studies show recruiters strongly prefer simple, clear formats. If your resume resembles an abstract painting, simplify it.