Your CV Will Get Rejected! Avoid These 5 Costly Mistakes

3-7 seconds! That’s how long it takes the employer to go through your CV. If they don’t find what they are looking for, it’s quickly tossed aside. They won’t look at it any longer especially if there are numerous applications to filter through.

Sounds frustrating? Reality is, you are not the only one applying for that position. The employer is always looking for something specific and if they fail to see that on your CV then, they move on to the next one.

How do you pass this 3-7 seconds rule? That’s what April wanted to find out. She has been applying for jobs for two years. Rarely does she hear back from employers, and when she does, it’s a regret message.

April wanted to know what she is doing wrong. She feels she has all the qualifications needed to succeed in her career.

Why is she not successful in her job search? How can she change this? Here are some costly mistakes to avoid;

A mismatch between the position and your CV

When your experience doesn’t fit the position, an objective is a good idea. It’s your opportunity to explain yourself and why you are right for this position even though you don’t have matching experience. April was using a generic CV for all the jobs she was applying for. She failed to show why she was suitable for the role. If there is a disconnect between your experience and the position, you have to find a way to bridge it by focusing on relevant skills and experience.

Large gaps in employment.

Things happen. People get laid off. People get sick (or have to care for others who are sick). Employers are aware of this, and for the most part, they’re also human. A gap in your employment is not the end of the world, but certainly, a gap longer than a year or two will raise eyebrows.

Where were you? What were you doing? Whatever it may be, find a way to use it in your CV. Working on personal projects? Include it in your CV. Volunteering for an organization that’s important to you? Add it to your CV. Picked up a new hobby? Create a hobbies section in your CV.

A CV using the “functional” format.

This is a CV that focuses on skills rather than work experience. It’s recommended by career experts when you don’t have any experience. Unfortunately, hiring managers know that and are often wary of functional resumes. That being said, there are ways to get them to give you a chance, including emphasizing soft skills and any other relevant experience (including academic and from extracurricular activities.)

A lack of accomplishments section.

Your CV shouldn’t just be a list of your tasks and responsibilities. It has to illustrate what you can bring to an employer. Think of it like a marketing tool. What is the best way to sell your experience and skills? A resume full of phrases like “duties included” and “responsible for”? Or one that is filled with action words like “increased,” “drove” or “initiated”?

Typos and spelling errors.

Always proof read your CV and cover letter before sending it. Then do it again. You’ve put a lot of time into this, and the last thing you want to do is get rejected because you used “you’re” instead of “your.”

April’s CV had a lot of sentence structure mistakes and grammar errors because she was always in a hurry to send it out without proofreading.  Always have a second pair to look at it just in case you missed anything.

What next…..

Has your CV been getting rejected? Do you want to stand out from the rest of the applicants? Get your CV professionally revamped and be one step closer to securing your dream job!