Earlyface

Wondering why you keep getting rejected each time you put in for a job interview. There are Eight terrible CV mistakes you may have been making all the while. Your curriculum Vitae should essentially show to your would-be employer that you are qualified for the job and you have the skill and experience to get it done.

Unfortunately, not many job seekers knows this. We have highlighted some of the terrible CV mistakes for you to take note of and some insights on how to avoid them.

1. Including irrelevant personal information.
Research has shown that the average time a hiring manager spends in reviewing a CV is 6 seconds. So it’s absolutely unnecessary to include certain personal information that will overshadow the important ones. Information like your gender, religion, relationship status is a waste of space.

Here in Nigeria, you won’t be penalized much if you include them, but in developed countries like Canada, USA, and the UK. It’s a “UNPARDONABLE SIN” to include them on your CV or Resume (American). It’s discriminatory, according to them.

2. Concealing important information
As it’s important to remove unnecessary information from your CV, it’s also imperative to highlight important ones. Look at how your CV is designed and place that important information like Accomplishments where the hiring manager can see them easily. Using bullet points or making them bold will be a great idea.

3. Being Vague
There are certain words or phrases you use on your CV that could leave the hiring manager confused or not give him an idea of the exact situation. For instance, “Acquired several customers for the company.” The hiring manager will be more interested in the number of customers you acquired and the timeframe within which you acquired them.

Therefore, replacing the above with “Acquired over 100 customers for the company within 6 months.” Will make more sense. Use figures wherever possible to convey your message.


 

 

4. Too much employment gap
If there’s a break in your career, look for a way to explain it on your CV. If you don’t, the recruiter may draw up his own conclusion, which most likely, will not be to your best advantage.

5. Telling lies or being economical with the truth
Including un-existing qualifications or adding work experiences that you did not really pass through is one of the worst CV mistakes, any job seeker can make. As a CV writer with several years of experience, I have had situations whereby a client will ask me to just cook-up work experiences for them. My response is always the same – “I can’t-do it.”

On several occasions, I have had to refund them because of this. There’s competition out there, so your CV needs to be great. But that does not mean that you have to lie to accomplish that. Experienced recruiters know a lie when they see one and will not waste time in sending your CV to the dustbin because that’s where it belongs.

6. Too long CV
It’s not a game of length, but that of value. It’s not how long your CV is that really matters to a hiring manager, but what you’re bringing to the table. If all the accomplishments, experience and experience is captured in a page, please leave your CV as it is, 1 page. You don’t have to include unnecessary information just because you want your CV to be 2 or 3 pages. You can imagine a young graduate who just finished serving submitting a 3-page CV. That’s an instant turn-off.

7. Meaningless introduction
If you are including an introduction on your CV, ensure that it is a clear and concise qualifications summary. Any introduction outside this is a minus for any CV.

8. Poor spelling and grammar
Nothing annoys a hiring manager more than bad grammar and wrong spellings. Outsourcing your CV to a reputable CV writer for professional help is the best option, but if you must do it yourself, then sacrifice the time to review it severally for grammar and spelling errors. You can also give your CV to your friends and close relatives for an honest review.