RESUME MISTAKES
Turn Your Dance Resume into a Standing Ovation
Identify and fix the most common mistakes that keep hiring managers from seeing your talent.
How This Page Helps
Help professional and aspiring dancers create a polished, audition‑ready resume that passes ATS and impresses artistic directors.
Spot hidden formatting errors
Learn ATS‑friendly language for dance
See before‑and‑after resume snippets
Apply a step‑by‑step checklist
Download a printable fix workshop
Common Mistakes That Kill Your Chances
Each mistake includes why it hurts, how to fix it, and before/after examples
Using a generic objective instead of a performance summaryMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- Hiring managers can’t quickly see your artistic impact
- ATS often ignores generic objectives
- Reduces the chance of an audition callback
How to fix
- Replace the objective with a 2‑3 sentence performance summary
- Highlight years of experience, primary dance styles, and notable venues
- Insert key dance‑specific keywords
❌ Before
Objective: Seeking a position as a dancer.
✓ After
Performance Summary: Versatile contemporary dancer with 5 years experience, principal roles at XYZ Ballet and touring with ABC Dance Company, recognized for dynamic choreography and strong stage presence.
ATS Tip
Lead with keywords such as "contemporary", "ballet", "touring", "principal" to boost ATS relevance.
Detection Rules
Contains the word "Objective"
Summary length under 50 words
Resumly Tip
Swap objective for a concise performance summary that showcases achievements and relevant dance keywords.
Listing dance styles without contextLOW
Why it hurts
- Provides no evidence of proficiency
- ATS cannot match skill level to job requirements
- Readers must guess your expertise
How to fix
- Add years of experience for each style
- Mention notable productions or companies associated with each style
- Use bullet points for clarity
❌ Before
Skills: Ballet, Hip‑Hop, Jazz
✓ After
Skills: • Ballet – 10 years (principal dancer, XYZ Ballet) • Hip‑Hop – 6 years (choreographed 20+ routines for ABC Crew) • Jazz – 4 years (featured performer, Jazz Fest 2022)
ATS Tip
Pair each style with years and a notable credit to align with ATS keyword parsing.
Detection Rules
Skill list without years or achievements
Resumly Tip
Add years and notable productions to each dance style to demonstrate depth of expertise.
Inconsistent or incomplete date formattingMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- Confuses hiring managers about tenure length
- ATS may misread date strings and drop entries
- Reduces overall professionalism
How to fix
- Use the format "MMM YYYY – MMM YYYY" for every role
- Include month for both start and end dates, even if ongoing
- Keep the format identical across all sections
❌ Before
Company XYZ – Dancer, 2019‑2021
✓ After
Company XYZ – Dancer, Jan 2019 – Dec 2021
ATS Tip
Standardized month‑year dates improve parsing accuracy in most ATS platforms.
Detection Rules
Date strings without month
Mixed date formats across entries
Resumly Tip
Standardize all dates to "MMM YYYY" with a clear range for each position.
Omitting measurable achievements and awardsHIGH
Why it hurts
- Fails to demonstrate impact
- ATS often looks for numbers or award keywords
- Makes the resume look generic
How to fix
- Quantify performances (e.g., number of shows, audience size)
- List awards, nominations, and recognitions
- Use action verbs and specific results
❌ Before
Performed in nightly shows.
✓ After
Performed in nightly shows for 5 seasons, averaging 200 performances per season and receiving the "Best Ensemble" award in 2023.
ATS Tip
Include numbers, award titles, and audience metrics to trigger ATS keyword matches.
Detection Rules
Bullet points lacking numbers or award names
Resumly Tip
Add metrics and recognitions to each experience bullet to showcase tangible impact.
Formatting Guidelines
File Types: PDF, DOCX
Sections: Contact Information, Performance Summary, Key Skills, Professional Experience, Education & Training, Awards & Recognitions, References (optional)
Naming: FirstName_LastName_Dancer_Resume
Consistency
Length: 1–2 pages for early‑career dancers; up to 3 pages for seasoned professionals
Date Format: MMM YYYY
Location Format: City, State (or Country)
Resume Quality Checklist
- Use a clear, legible font (e.g., Arial 10‑12pt)
- Include a performance summary at the top
- List dance styles with years and notable productions
- Format all dates as "MMM YYYY" with month range
- Quantify achievements and awards
- Save as PDF with file name FirstName_LastName_Dancer_Resume.pdf
ATS Alignment Guide
Common ATS Systems: iCIMS, Greenhouse, Workday, JazzHR
Keyword Strategy: Include dance‑specific keywords like "ballet", "contemporary", "choreography", "touring", "principal", "rehearsal", "audition", "performance"
Heading Format: Use standard headings such as "Performance Summary", "Professional Experience", "Key Skills", "Education & Training"
Quick Fix Workshop
Paste your current dancer resume text
- Convert generic objective to performance summary
- Add years of experience to each skill
- Standardize date format
- Insert measurable achievements
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