Resume writer here. This week I spent some time with a couple of hiring managers to ask why they skip candidates. I am not here to sell you anything, just ugly truths from the conversations I heard with them. Pick the ones you feel like and leave the rest. No fluff, just truths.

1. You look like you have been jumping around

If you’ve had three jobs in three years, they don’t see a "high achiever." They see a waste of money. Hiring is expensive and nobody wants to do it again in six months. If your resume looks like you just hop around, they’ll pick the boring candidate who stays put over the rockstar who leaves by Christmas. If those were contracts, say it. Otherwise, you just look like you quit everything and you might have to always explain yourself.

1. Overqualified is a liability, not a flex

Applying for a mid-level role with a Director background isn't a "steal" for the company. Managers think you’ll be bored, expensive, or gone the second a better offer hits your inbox. They are constantly worried because they feel like you can jump on the next big 3x salary. They aren't worried you can't do the job; they're worried you won't stay. If you don't edit your experience down to match the actual level of the role, you’re an automatic "No."

1. Your creative layout is a distraction

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, STOP DESIGNING RESUMES IN FIGMA OR CANVA. Hiring managers hate those Canva templates with the columns and the skill bars. What does "80% expertise" in Python even mean? It looks like you’re trying to hide a lack of results with pretty graphics. Clean, boring, black-and-white text wins every time because it’s easy to scan. If you need a graph to make your career look interesting, it probably isn't. You are better off with a resume that is tightly packed with details filled with what ATS can scan and read. The most important part is that it can be read.
At the end of the day, recruiters aren't looking for the absolute best person. They’re looking for the person who is the least likely to blow up in their face.