CV Mistakes To Leave Behind This Year

By Lisa Osiako

It is very easy to make mistakes on your CV, but very hard to correct them once it gets to an employer. Many times, candidates miss out on great opportunities because of mistakes on the CVs.
Here are the commonly made mistakes and ways you can avoid them:

1. Listing duties instead of accomplishments

Instead of listing the duties you were expected to do in your previous job, you could interchange them and have accomplishments instead. With accomplishments, you are better placed at making a good impression to your prospective employer.

A duty such as “Successfully coordinated office staff meetings and payroll,” could easily change to, “Completed annual reorganization of the medical library on schedule and with an innovative twist on the Dewey Decimal system.”

2. Irrelevant skills for the role

It is always tempting to be that ideal candidate for just about every job that crosses your path. However, truth be told, that is quite impossible.

Every time you write your CV, bring out your poised and professional self and ensure you tailor your experience to the specific responsibilities the job seeks.

Select the most relevant skills for the role. Do not hesitate to organize them by groups if it can be done. It will look more organized and will be easier to read.

3. CV not targeted to the role

Every position has something unique in it. Therefore, your CV needs to be adjusted to the position you are applying for. You always have to show the recruiter that you are the perfect candidate.

As such, you might not need to go through all of your experiences, but just pick the ones that are in line with the job offer.

4. Grammatical errors

Always have someone else go through your CV before you submit it. Having a CV full of errors shows how you are not keen on paying attention to detail.

Be keen enough to spot the errors that should not exist.

Must Read >>> How To Write A CV That Makes an Impact in Seconds

5. Long CV

Many times, when recruiters land on your CV, they do not have even 30 minutes to go through it. If it is too long, it will, therefore, discourage them as they will not read it until the end.

As you need to communicate all the important information, think of a way to do it in a clear and concise way. Write short sentences and go straight to the point. Do not write more than 3 pages.

If your prospective employers like what they see on your CV, they will definitely call you so as to get to know you better. It is here that you will get time to develop your experience and talk more about yourself.

6. Too many skills in the expertise section

If you put too many skills and knowledge in this section, the recruiter won’t remember any of them and the ones that matter will be lost in a mass.

7. Inconsistent layout

A CV should be easy to read. Ensure everything is aligned and the paragraphs have the same font and size. An inconsistent layout will give the impression that you are not organized.

8. Including the wrong interests/hobbies

There is absolutely no need to include your hobbies and interests on your CV unless you do not have much experience in the field. If you have to, refer to hobbies that relate to the industry you have chosen.

Read Also >>>> Top 5 Mistakes That Makes Your CV Boring

Many job seekers always end up making the same mistakes. If you want to stand out, then avoid these mistakes and ensure your CV is as clean as possible. You can also seek CV writing services, just to have a rough idea of where your CV stands. Leave these common errors and move on come the new year!