Here’s the grim reality: Most recruiters don’t need to read your CV, and many probably don’t even want to, such is the number of applications that land in their inbox. So anything you can do to discourage them from hitting that dreaded ‘Delete’ button will clearly go in your favour and increase your chances of scoring an interview.
With that in mind, we’ve trawled through the most common résumé errors and come up with 10 classic clangers that stop your readers from reading and your phone from ringing. So fire up your computer, dig out that CV and start redrafting your way to gainful employment.
1. Badly formatted
The layout is one of the first things a recruiter will notice about your CV, and as the saying goes, first impressions count. A cluttered look, fancy fonts and too many colours all contribute to that initial impression. Limit colours to one or two, stick to the standard fonts (Arial, Calibri and Times New Roman are all fine) and give some thought to headings, bullet points and idents – anything that makes your CV easy on the eye and induces a reader to read on.
2. Too long
Whenever we choose a book to read, we consciously or unconsciously take note of its length. For some readers, the length of material may even be a deciding factor in whether they read that book or not. The same goes for CVs. Aside from the fact that a longer CV adds to the recruiter’s workload, it also suggests that by presenting an unabridged account of your career, you may lack essential prioritising skills or could be favouring quantity over quality as a way of covering up some shortfall. Will mentioning that first prize in breast stroke really help you nail that desk job? If possible, stick to the recommended two pages.
3. Badly written
Correcting any spelling or grammatical errors may sound like an obvious point, but it’s surprising how the odd typo can slip through the net, especially with a looming submission deadline. When we read normally, we tend to skip over words, so we don’t always catch any errors that are there. The trick to finding them is to slow right down when you’re reading. After a read-through of your CV at normal pace to check that the writing flows, go back to the beginning, don your editor’s hat and switch to a snail’s-pace reading. If language isn’t your forte, run your CV through an online checker, or get a friend to give it the once-over.
4. Not updated
Whenever there’s a work-related change in your life, be it a new job, a skill gained or a work exam passed, remember to amend your résumé accordingly. Keeping your CV up to date makes you appear efficient, gives hirers the whole picture and can even mean the difference between an offer and a reject.
5. Wrong dates
When you’re editing your CV, it’s easy to overlook all those date ranges. Whether you’ve pressed the wrong key on the keyboard or you’ve miscalculated a period of employment, be aware that those date-related bungles might not escape the attention of the recruiter, who may spot them while looking out for any gaps in your history.
6. Missing info
Sometimes you just can’t see the wood for the trees, so when scanning your CV for errors, look for the obvious too. You’d be kicking yourself if you clicked ‘Send’ and had missed out your contact details.
7. Dishonesty
It goes without saying that you have a moral (and possibly legal) obligation to ensure everything you include in your CV is the truth. You may be tempted to add on a year to a date if it makes you sound more experienced or include a job duty or two that you’ve never carried out in your life, but these things have a habit of catching up with us.
8. Not tailored
E-blasting the same version of your CV to every company you’re applying to might save you a whole bunch of time, but you won’t do yourself many favours in the long run. Recruiters (and tracking systems if used) will be looking for certain keywords in your CV to make sure you’re the right match for the job, so you should always adapt your CV to the circumstances. Even if the job’s no different from the one you have now, there are often tweaks you can make for a more targeted approach, such as reincluding a required skill you left out to save space or emphasising the qualities specified in the ad.
9. Unprofessional
Showcasing your humour at the application stage might seem like a great way to reach the top of the pile, but it’s more likely to work against you. There are some unwritten rules of the application game, and deviating from the norm comes at enormous risk. So if you’ve used jokey turns of phrase to try to win over HR or you’ve peppered your CV with exclamation marks to highlight the points you’re making, think again. While you’re at it, take a look at your email address and decide if it’s professional-sounding enough. If most of the world knows you as ‘only_fools_work@gmail.com’, you might want a separate address for your professional life.
10. Lacking personality
It’s about balance here. You need to keep things as professional as possible while revealing something of your personality. Rather than just dryly listing your attributes, work them into sentences that describe duties or achievements in past jobs you’ve had. Saying, for example, ‘I’m a capable manager’ is not nearly as effective as detailing a specific occasion at work that shows just how capable a manager you are. In the same way, take a look at your hobbies and interests in case there’s anything relevant there. Reading on your résumé you can play the piano might not sway that marketing director, but if you’re applying for the job of a junior-school teacher, then your musical ability might clinch it, particularly if you’re the only applicant with that skill. With so many similar-looking CVs to wade through, recruiters need a reason to shortlist yours, so the more you can sound like the perfect candidate, the more chance you have of being one.
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