CV Mistakes that could Cost you a Job Interview

Your CV is, obviously, a crucial part in the process of you landing your dream job. You need to spend time to ensure everything is relevant, up to date and correct. The average time a recruiter spends reading a CV is around 10 seconds – and if they spot an error, it’s more than likely they will put it aside and pick up a new one.

So, here is a quick list of 10 common mistakes we find on CV’s:

Bad Formatting

CV formatting can easily become the bane of a recruiters life, many people have a preferred way of writing them, however, try and make sure it is consistent throughout in regards to bullet points and text. Think about the format in which you will be saving it in as well, some companies prefer word documents to PDF’s – make sure to ask this before sending it across.

No Contact Details

Yes – you read that right. Some people have sent their CV’s over with no contact details on. Ensure that you include you contact details clearly and that they are correct – it may also be worth mentioning which method is best to reach you.

Too Many Pages

We tend to say that the perfect amount is around 2 pages, however, we are aware this isn’t enough for some. But try to keep everything concise and not waffle on, a ridiculously long CV is off putting.

Lengthy, Packed Paragraphs

Ensure that you split up your writing and paragraphs properly, and that it is all very clear. As we mentioned before, try to keep everything concise and relevant to the role. Recruiters want to be able to read relevant information quickly and easily.

Hidden Information and Not Tailored

Unless you tailor you’re CV to the specific job you’re applying for, you will most definitely miss out relevant skills and knowledge that would fit the role. You need to make sure you highlight the areas you have developed from previous experience in similar roles that will help you when it comes to the position you are applying for, after all showing that you have the skills and expertise needed for the job will put you above other applicants that aren’t as well suited.

Wordy Profile Statement and No Summary of Skills

Your profile statement should be around 2 sentences long, it should summarise and emphasise on your key attributes, experience and what your future career path looks like to you. This helps the recruiter get a glimpse of you and what you want to achieve in the forthcoming years. You also need to ensure you provide a summary of your skills. Listing these in bullet points helps them stand out to the recruiter, and allows them to make more of a judgement of your suitability for the role.

Spelling and Grammar Errors

This is an immediate red flag to recruiters. It often shows you in a bad light due to the lazy aspect of not bothering to proof read your CV before sending it out. Make sure to re-read it and double check anything you are unsure of. If you are not strong on the grammar front, ask a friend or family member to read it for you and enlighten you on the errors you have made.

Omitting Relevant Qualifications

Much like your skills and experience, you should make sure to highlight any qualifications that may be relevant to the role you are applying for. No matter how big or small – if they are relevant, include them and make sure they aren’t hidden.

Failure to Quantify Things

It is always worth quantifying your achievements in your previous roles. So, instead of saying “I increased the company’s followers”, say “during my time, I increased the company’s Twitter followers by 45%, taking it from 1,500 to 2,175”.

No References

This isn’t a big one, but it really helps including references on your CV. It gives your recruiter and potential employer chance to find out more about you and how you performed in your previous roles. By not including them, it may come across in a negative manner, making recruiters thank you would rather they didn’t follow up with previous employers because your performance was poor.

We can’t stress enough how important your CV is in the recruitment process, if you have any queries about yours and would like our help, drop a message to [email protected]!