Top 10 CV mistakes_

So, you’ve made the decision to look for a new job. You’ve sent out your CV and are awaiting the influx of interview invitations, but it never happens. Did you know that for every vacancy you apply for, an employer can receive hundreds of applications? So, if you want to stand out amongst the crowd, the first place to start is your CV. Many people don’t realise that their CV is the reason why they’re not getting a response.

Here at Agenda, we want to help our candidates put their best foot forward, so we’ve put together the top 5 mistakes candidates make with their CVs, so you can avoid them:

1. One size doesn’t fit all

Writing a one-size-fits-all CV could be your biggest down fall when applying for a vacancy. For every position you apply for, you should take the time to check through your CV and customise it for that application.
Remember finding the right job takes time and tailored, specific CVs are much more successful.

2. Poor presentation

Not only does your CV have to be tailored, it also needs to be easy to read, well organised and professional. Pick a standard font and a clear format and don’t waste time including irrelevant information.

Many employers prefer bullet pointed CVs instead of long paragraphs as It makes it easy to scan through. Your CV needs to be clear and to the point. Write it in simple, easy-to-understand language.
Remember, it’s you who wants the job and you who needs to stand out from the crowd. It’s your job to make it easy for an employer to review your CV.

3. Making your CV too long or too short

It’s all about finding the right balance when writing your CV. You need to include enough information to showcase your skills but not too much that you are including your whole life story.

The sole purpose of your CV is to win you an interview. It isn’t a record of every job you have ever had, or task you have ever completed. Most CVs only need to be about two pages long and need to cover the following areas:

• Name and contact details
• Profile or personal statement
• Employment History
• Education and qualifications
• Skills / Experience
• References

Remember Long, difficult to read, unfocused CVs get poor results.

4. Forgetting to proof read

Let’s be honest, mistakes happen in life, but they shouldn’t really happen on your CV.  As previously mentioned, your CV should be tailored for each application you make, so there are plenty of chances to make mistakes. Ensure your CV doesn’t stand out for all the wrong reasons. Misspellings, typos and grammatical errors could be enough to take your application out of the running. So ensure you do a full proof read each time you edit your CV and don’t forget to include your up-to-date contact information.
Remember to check, check and then check again before you send out your CV.

 

5. Fading in to the background

With your CV, the best way to get noticed is to stand out from the crowd. Using the same cliché, generic phrases that are used on every other CV is not the way to stand out. “Track record of success.’’ “Excellent communication skills.” “Team player.” Are the most common used phrases with CVs and employers have read these phrases on CV’s so many times that their value is diminished. Instead of using the same generic phrases, why not communicate these skills through your achievements and experience. Give examples of why you are a ‘great team player’ or how you have ‘excellent communication skills’
Remember to make your CV stand out from those hundreds of people applying for the same vacancy.