5 Ways Your CV Lost You That Job

By Lilian Wamaitha
How do you get past sending so many job applications without ever hearing back from the employers?
Job search is tedious and it’s even more frustration when you can’t figure out why every application you send ends up in the reject pile.
Is there something you are not doing or do employers already have someone for the job and are just advertising for formality?
According to Rebecca Nyawira, one of the silent killers when it comes to job search is the CV.
Your CV is your marketing document. It is also an elimination document as it determines whether or not you get past the application stage,” she says.
In an age where an employer will receive over 200 applications for a single job, it matters to know where you are going wrong. Otherwise it will always be the same thing – you applying for jobs that you are not getting.
In as much as you may be qualified for the job, if your CV is not marketing you, you are just doing zero work.
That said, five ways your CV is underselling you every time you apply for jobs.
1. Giving irrelevant information
A recruiter will want to know you better through your CV, but that does not mean you put everything about you in a CV. Some might be irrelevant, especially in a job search.
“You don’t have to put everything you’ve done under your work experience as too much irrelevant information could obscure the parts of your CV that demonstrate your abilities for the job at hand” advises Rebecca.
Recruiters don’t want to know how many kids you have, your likes and dislikes, your most embarrassing moments or your most memorable moments. Keep such information for friends and colleagues.
Your CV does not have to include such information or every job you have held, tone it down a notch and put those that speak to the job you are applying for.
2. Failure to demonstrate results
You have the work experience that the employer is looking for, but your CV does not demonstrate results in the positions you’ve held. It only lists your responsibilities. Show how well you performed your job by showing the results you produced.
For instance, instead of writing “organized filing system”, write something like, “Reorganized the finance department filing system, correcting 3 years of improper filling and making accessibility easy.
Of key importance is to lay emphasis on your performance on the job by showing the results you produced.
3. Too much jargon
CV jargon such as “team player” and excellent communicator” among others are expected in today’s job market.
However, Rebecca says that a job seeker who is genuine about being a good problem solver or good at working in teams will communicate that creatively in a few words and by use of imagery.
If you are struggling to write a CV that meets the standards of the current job market, contact us here for professional CV writing services.
In the end, at the end of the day, you want to be taken seriously by the hiring manager. Take time to review your CV before sending it. Always think about the reader before your send in your CV.

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