Resume Mistakes That Are Costing You Interviews
The average job search takes five months and two hundred applications. Colin McIntosh of SheetsResume breaks down the resume mistakes keeping qualified candidates from getting hired.
Host: Bernie Franzgrote
Colin McIntosh of SheetsResume breaks down resume tips and job search strategy to help candidates get hired in 2026. K4B S4E107. (127 chars ✓)
GROWTH CATEGORY: Sales & Revenue
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You applied for the job. You were qualified. You heard nothing.
Colin McIntosh has read tens of thousands of resumes — and he knows exactly why that keeps happening.
In this episode of Knack 4 Business, he explains what the real filter is, what to take off your resume today, and the one thing most candidates skip that actually gets them hired.
Watch the full conversation here:
WHO THIS IS FOR
Job seekers / Career pivoters / Entrepreneurs who hire / Anyone rebuilding after a layoff
Key Lessons
1. The ATS is not the enemy — the human screener is.
Most candidates spend weeks trying to beat the algorithm. Colin says that's the wrong fight. ATS systems actually err on the side of inclusion — if you're qualified for the role, you get through. The real filter is the human screener who picks up your resume next with about ten seconds to decide. Your entire job search strategy should be built around passing that ten-second test. Keywords will not fix a human problem.
2. Three things on your resume that are quietly hurting you.
Remove the summary or objective — it signals you have nothing more impressive to lead with. Remove the LinkedIn link — it opens the door to visual bias before your skills have been read. In North America, remove the headshot for the same reason. None of these additions help you. Lead instead with your most impressive credential, role, or result — top left, where the eye goes first.
3. Interests at the bottom of your resume work — when they're specific.
One line. Real interests. Not "outdoors" — try "backpacking, 14 provinces and territories." Colin argues this does three things: it humanizes you to a screener who has been reading names for five hours, it gives the interviewer a natural icebreaker, and it signals that you're someone the team will actually want around.
Practical Steps
- Audit your resume this week. Remove the summary, the objective, and the LinkedIn link. Move your most impressive credential to the top left. Add a specific interests line at the bottom. These are not cosmetic — they change how fast you pass the ten-second test.
- Account for every gap. If you have an unexplained period, fill it yourself. Volunteer work, independent consulting, a sabbatical — something with an organization name and a result. If you leave the gap open, the screener writes the story. Write it first.
- Go around the portal. Find the hiring manager's name and email. Send a short, direct message or use LinkedIn. Colin hired two people at SheetsResume this way. In a market flooded with auto-apply applications, a real person reaching out directly stands out every time.
About the Guest
Colin McIntosh is the founder of SheetsResume.com — a free AI-powered resume platform used by tens of thousands of people every month — and a principal at Riviera Partners, one of the leading executive search firms in tech. He built Sheets & Giggles from a Techstars pitch into a multi-million dollar brand featured on Good Morning America, and exited in 2025.
Guest offer: Use code K4B for 50% off a lifetime membership of our resume builder and other AI tools at SheetsResume.com.
Connect with Colin: SheetsResume.com | LinkedIn | YouTube | Reddit | X | Instagram
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FAQ
Q: Is the ATS really not the main filter?
A: If you're genuinely qualified for the role you're applying for, the ATS typically lets you through. The human screener who follows — with about ten seconds — is the real decision point.
Q: What is the single biggest resume mistake candidates make?
A: Starting with a summary or objective. It pushes your most impressive content down the page and signals you have nothing better to lead with. Remove it and put your strongest credential or result at the top.
Q: Is it worth reaching out to the hiring manager directly?
A: Colin says yes — and backs it up. He hired two people at SheetsResume who reached out directly, one on LinkedIn and one on Discord. It demonstrates resourcefulness and puts your message in front of the right person before the portal buries it.
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