As companies are inundated with applications, sifting through CVs has become a process employers are skilled at and many say has become easier. The stronger candidates clearly explain why they will be a great hire – thus eliminating weaker applications is fast and easy.
This leads to a ruthless and simple point. If your CV has mistakes it will end up in the waste-bin. And this covers more than spelling, grammar and other obvious basics. There are many subtle mistakes for which you may have been given the benefit of the doubt a few years back, but will consign your CV to the trash today.
Set a standard for yourself: do not apply for a job until you are certain your CV avoids the following mistakes:
1. Omitting essential skills – the skills the role requires must be shown clearly on your CV, prioritised and ideally mentioned consistently.
2. Listing too many skills – it looks un-focussed, un-realistic and reveals nothing about you.
3. Waffle – less most definitely is more. Every word, every sentence needs to have a purpose for the specific employer. If it’s not important, remove it.
4. No bullet points – do you write lengthy paragraphs describing each job? Don’t make it hard for the employer or they’ll make it hard for you by ignoring your CV.
5. Work experience written like a job description. Instead, focus on how you performed and show the benefits of employing you.
6. Complex formatting, gimmicks, photos, shading, stylised fonts, colours. Keep it simple.
7. Dates in the wrong order. Always state the most recent first.
8. Leaving the best points of your CV to page 2 or beyond.
9. Inclusion of negative information, for example: reasons for leaving, poor exam results (omit instead)
10. Using expressions that only made sense at a previous job. Employers are making the effort to speak simply – so should you.
11. Sending the same CV off to multiple jobs. Simply put, you must tailor (see point 1)
12. Poor spelling and grammar. Read your CV aloud to help check what you have written rather than what you THINK you have written or ask someone to check it.
13. Missing a personal profile. Time pushed recruiters need to understand who you are, the value you bring and what you want in 30 seconds. Don’t expect them to read your CV in full and work this out, so insert a profile as your sales banner.
14. Too long. Maximum 3 pages, 2 pages preferable although the 1 page CV when constructed carefully can be outstanding.
15. Leaving text for video. This pseudo-cool trend of performing on camera continues to annoy recruiters. Keep the video for family events.
16. Leaving gaps in your employment history. It arouses suspicion.
I think it’s great to know if you avoid the above points and spend a little effort tailoring your CV for each job, you stand a very good chance of getting to interview. 9 out of 10 CVs have mistakes, so spend the time checking and get your CV to the top of the pile.
More CV writing Tips
Great CV advice-these mistakes mentioned above stop hundreds of job hunters gaining interviews
Some additional advice: Before starting your CV read the job specification as all employers (even employers recruiting for similar job roles) require different skills and qualities for their particular company. The job specification will tell you the employers essential criteria-you need to ensure this essential criteria is recorded on your CV