Your CV is the make or break of any job application. The minute a hiring manager see’s one of these mistakes, your chance of getting called for an interview decline rapidly. If you have any of these common mistakes on your CV, you should remove them straight away.
Gaps
Hiring managers like to see exact timeframes on CVs. Dates on your CV should include month to month time frames, as opposed to year to year. Often people will avoid putting dates on a CV or will try to be vague about the dates. This can look suspicious to employers, especially if you have gaps. It’s better to be honest and give reasons for any gaps instead of trying to hide them. State clearly that you were made redundant or you went travelling. The person reviewing your CV will appreciate this and it will give them clarity about the gaps.
Graphics
If you have graphics on your CV, you should leave them out. Things like complicated formatting and decorative pictures shouldn’t be on a CV. They just tend to make it more difficult for employers to read. Keep things simple, clear and detailed.
However, if you are applying for a role that requires graphic design skills, consider making a portfolio of your work. You can send this along with your CV to showcase your creative skills .
Forgetting to Include Contact Details
You may just assume that sending your CV via email is enough for an employer to contact you, but often CVs get forwarded around and saved on hard drives/desktops so the original email you sent could get lost along the way, along with your contact details. Always put your email address and phone number on your CV.
Using Personal Details
It’s good to show your personality through your CV and give the hiring manager a sense of who you are but some personal details are too personal for your CV. Avoid putting your relationship status on your CV e.g. married, divorced. It’s irrelevant information and it could affect you negatively.
When you apply for a job you should be confident that your CV ticks all the hiring mangers boxes. This won’t happen if you include these mistakes so if you’re applying for jobs right now, take another look at your CV and make sure you’re happy with it.