CV “No No’s”
When applying for a job it is essential that your CV gets you an interview. If you are sending your CV to hundreds of employers and not getting interviews it’s not you – it’s your CV. Here is a list of CV “No No’s” which we advise you to follow:
- Never apply for a position you are not qualified for
You may like the look of a job advert but if you don’t have the right qualifications or experience you are probably wasting your time.
- Providing irrelevant personal information
You may be proud to weigh 12 stone, be 6ft tall and be a Buddhist but unless your personal information is relevant to the job you are applying for do not put it on your CV.
3. Burying important information
Remember your CV will have little time to impress, ensure you highlight the relevant skills and experience that you can bring to the role, make your CV easy to read
4. Spelling errors, poor grammar and typos
This ‘no no’ should be obvious, but it isn’t. The number of CVs we see on a daily basis with spelling errors and other mistakes is appalling.
5. Unexplained gaps in employment
Having unexplained gaps in your employment history is a big ‘no no’. It makes employers nervous. You need to explain what you were up to during these periods.
6. Lying or misleading information
Obviously on a CV you have to describe yourself in the best possible light. Avoid the temptation though to fib. Employers are also on the lookout for inflated qualification, salaries and job titles
7. A long, waffling CV
Keep your CV short, punchy and to the point. This means no longer than two pages of A4. Focus on your recent experience and achievements, this rule applies to qualifications as well – no-one is interested if you did first aid course in 1978.
8. Badly formatted CV
These days your CV will most likely be read on screen therefore it needs to be easily read. Stick with normal fonts, do not use colours or crazy backgrounds. Ensure your CV is laid out in an easily understood format.
9. Meaningless introductions
Your CV has got to hit the employer smack between the eyes. Or, to put it another way it’s got to be noticed. Your opening paragraph should be a short headline about yourself and your work experience, not a lot of old waffle.
10. The ‘So What’
To give yourself the best chance of getting your CV read you need to make sure it ‘looks right’. Make sure it’s not too long, is laid out nicely, is properly formatted and so on. If you do all these things then you have a chance – it looks like you care.
Look at you CV today, if you are doing any of these ‘no no’s’ get your act together and implement improvements then you could land the job of your dreams.