5 CV Mistakes To Avoid This Year

As the new year begins, many of us are setting new goals and are looking to elevate our careers.

But before you hit send on that application, ask yourself, is my CV a reflection of myself and what I have to offer?

Remember a CV is a first impression! Writing a perfect CV is not easy and small mistakes can make an employer dismiss it right away.

So as you begin a new career chapter, avoid these five common CV mistakes and start the year off with a winning application that will grab employers’ attention.

1. Listing duties instead of accomplishments

Instead of listing the duties you did in your previous job, you could interchange them and have accomplishments instead. With accomplishments, you are better placed to make a good impression on 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 almost every job that crosses your path. However, in truth 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.

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 clearly and concisely. 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 to get to know you better. It is here that you will get time to develop your experience and talk more about yourself.

Read Also>>>How Do I Tailor My CV To A Specific Job?

In conclusion

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.