Let’s be real for a second.
If you’ve been in HR or recruitment long enough, you’ve stared at a resume and immediately thought, “Nope.” Maybe it was the gap. Maybe it was job-hopping. Maybe it was the weird formatting or that one typo in a headline. Whatever it was—it gave you pause.
I’ve been there. And I’ve passed on some resumes I wish I’d taken a second look at. I’ve also taken chances on some resumes that raised red flags—and turned out to be some of the best hires I’ve made.
This is what this piece is about. Not just sniffing out the genuine warning signs, but also learning to spot the gold hidden under what looks like a mess. Because sometimes, red flags aren’t deal-breakers—they’re just misunderstood stories.
What Counts as a Resume Red Flag?
A red flag is anything that makes you stop and say, “Something’s not right here.”
It could be a gap, a typo, an overly ambitious job title, or a career that zigzags like a rollercoaster. These things often cause resumes to get tossed into the “maybe” or “no” pile without a second thought.
But here’s the part we often skip: not all red flags are equal. Some of them smoke without fire. And others? They’re not red flags at all—they’re signs of growth, grit, and real-life learning.
Let’s break this into two clear sections: red flags that really matter, and the ones we should rethink.
Red Flags You Shouldn’t Ignore
1. Chronic Job-Hopping Without Explanation
If a candidate has six jobs in three years and there’s no explanation in the resume or cover letter, you need to ask why. Is it freelancing? Layoffs? Burnout? Or are they someone who bails at the first challenge?
When someone hops without learning or building anything, that’s a problem.
When it’s okay: Short stints early in the career, or if they were contracting.
When it’s not: Senior roles where they never seem to stay long enough to create impact.
2. Vague Descriptions and Fluff Language
You know the type—“Managed responsibilities and completed tasks.” What does that even mean? If a resume is all buzzwords with zero substance, it signals a lack of self-awareness or real results.
Why it matters: Candidates should be able to articulate what they did and why it mattered. If they can’t do that on paper, chances are they’ll struggle in the role too.
3. Sloppy Formatting and Typos
I’ll be honest—this one hurts. A poorly formatted resume screams “I didn’t take this seriously.” If there are grammar mistakes in bold headlines or spacing that shifts every paragraph, it reflects a lack of attention to detail.
Caveat: Don’t confuse formatting with design. Not everyone is a designer. But careless errors? That’s a red flag.
Red Flags That Are Often Opportunities in Disguise
This is where it gets interesting. There are a lot of resumes out there that don’t look right—but actually hide potential.
1. Career Gaps
This is one of the most misunderstood resume issues. Gaps are real. People take time off to raise kids, recover from illness, take care of family, or even recalibrate after burnout.
Some of the most emotionally intelligent, grounded people I’ve interviewed had career gaps that scared away other employers. But they brought something to the team that no certification ever could.
The question to ask: What did they learn during that time? And what made them come back?
2. Industry Switchers
People pivot. It’s not a crime. A marketing executive turns UX designer. A data analyst wants to become a teacher. A pilot becomes a recruiter.
Does that sound crazy? Maybe. But take a second look. Some people—especially those coming from high-pressure or leadership-driven roles—bring incredibly transferable skills.
For example, someone who’s written a Pilot Resume has likely developed intense discipline, situational awareness, and crisis response training. Those qualities don’t vanish just because they want a desk job now.
3. Self-Taught Skills or Non-Traditional Education
Not everyone goes to Stanford. Some go to YouTube. And the self-taught crowd? They hustle.
They build portfolios, ship projects, fix real-world problems, and often outpace their formally trained peers. The key is whether they’ve taken the time to apply what they’ve learned.
One of the sharpest content leads I ever worked with? She was a history major who taught herself SEO, built a travel blog, and outranked half the agencies in the space. Don’t sleep on the self-starters.
Mistakes We Make as Hiring Professionals
Let’s not pretend we don’t bring our own bias to the table. We absolutely do. Here are some traps I’ve seen—(and sometimes fallen into):
- Speed-rejecting based on “feel” without context.
One typo? Rejected. One weird job title? Trash bin. We forget to dig. - Ignoring context.
Sometimes a “gap” isn’t a gap—it’s time spent freelancing, caregiving, or building a business that didn’t work out. - Overweighting pedigree.
We fall for the shiny brand names and Ivy League degrees, forgetting to ask, “Did this person actually contribute?”
- Not reading the cover letter at all.
That’s where the story usually lives. Especially if the candidate is trying to explain something unusual. If you want a good example of a thoughtful ending to a cover letter, this guide on how to end a cover letter is worth passing on to applicants.
What You Can Do Instead
If a resume raises questions, don’t close the tab. Do this instead:
- Reach out for a quick chat. Even a 10-minute call can clarify most “red flags.”
- Look for patterns. Is there growth? Are they building skills or repeating mistakes?
- Consider writing skill separately from potential. Not everyone’s a copywriter. Don’t let a weak resume hide a strong candidate.
- Focus on trajectory, not perfection. The best hires often show acceleration—learning from failure, pivoting, taking responsibility. That’s gold.
Final Thoughts
We love clean, linear resumes. But life isn’t linear. And the world has changed. People shift careers. They take breaks. They teach themselves new things in the middle of the night while working day jobs they hate.
If we dismiss every resume that doesn’t fit the mold, we miss out on a whole category of brilliant, gritty, self-aware people who might not know how to market themselves yet—but are ready to do the work.
So next time you see a red flag? Slow down. Ask the question. Look past the surface.
The best hire you’ll make this year might be the resume you almost skipped.
Guest writer
