10 CV mistakes that employers hate seeing

When hiring managers look at your CV, they will form the first impression about you and your suitability for the position. More often than not, your CV will only have a few seconds to grab the employer’s attention and should ideally leave them wanting to read more and invite you in for an interview.



As your first and primary ticket, it is critical that you get this communication tool right and use it as a springboard to the next stage of the job application. The career experts at Bayt.com identify some of the most common CV mistakes to avoid at all costs.

 

1. Missing contact details

Make sure your CV clearly provides your full name, address and contact details for the prospective employer to reach you. Include the phone number and email address that you regularly check. This may sound obvious but, surprisingly, many candidates will send their CV with missing or outdated contact information. On top of that, if your email address reads unprofessionally (e.g. Crazyguy121) or is strictly for work, it may be worthwhile to change it and opt for a more professional one.

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2. No career objective

Every CV should begin with a clear and concise objective citing the position you are seeking and a supporting statement summarising the reasons you are highly qualified for the position. Here is an example: ‘Seeking a senior marketing analyst role where I can apply my five years of experience in marketing analysis gained with a leading Fortune 500 FMCG company as well as my skills in copywriting, strategic analysis, business development, client servicing and media planning.’ Remember, the goal of the CV is to outline what you can do for your prospective employer, not what your employer can do for you.

3. Using passive language

Remember to use active verbs that show leadership and accomplishments rather than weak passive words. Words like achieved, spearheaded, managed, exceeded, pioneered, led, created, developed and motivated convey an active, dynamic successful professional. Substitute all weak listings and descriptions for sentences that detail your accomplishments without uncertainty. Instead of ‘Managed the firm’s emerging markets equity portfolio’ try ‘Managed and achieved a 34% annual return on the firm’s $200 million emerging markets equity portfolio.’

 

4. Using first person

Do not start sentences with the word ‘I’ or use the personal pronoun in your job descriptions. Keep your sentences short and dynamic and begin them wherever possible with strong action words. Instead of ‘I managed…,’ you can start with ‘managed…’ and follow with more details.

5. Generic CVs

Every CV should be focused on the particular job and industry you are targeting. If you are applying for jobs in two different industries, then make sure you have different CVs that cater specifically to the different skills required in each industry. The best CVs are customised for the individual job at hand and emphasise objectives, skillsets, past accomplishments, aptitudes and qualifications that are uniquely relevant to that particular role. Generic, unfocused CVs rarely make the mark.

6. Poor formatting

Your CV will get no more than a cursory glance if the formatting is poor and it shows bad planning, poor organisation or clutter. Adhere to an acceptable format that is professional, simple and attractive to the eye. Use bullet points wherever possible rather than long prose and be consistent with font, headings, spaces and layout. Avoid coloured paper, illustrations, and glitzy touches. If you are applying for a creative position, show your creativity in your portfolio, not by jazzing up your CV. Make sure your CV is no longer than one page if you are an entry-level candidate and a maximum of two pages if you are a seasoned professional.

 

7. Typos and errors

Spelling mistakes, poor grammar and glaring errors are a surefire way to get your CV dismissed and stop the job search process in its tracks. Read and reread your CV before sending it to the employer, run a spellcheck and have someone else read the CV for an extra round before sending it out. Remember, just like any detail on your CV can help you, it can also ruin your shot at getting the job.

8. Omitting key facts

Educational qualifications and professional experience must be included in your CV with proper dates, titles, institution names and descriptions. Use plenty of keywords in describing your role and accomplishments in each job as well as in the skills section. If you are unsure what keywords to use, read the job description thoroughly and ask peers in the industry regarding the skills and qualifications that are particularly relevant for this role.

 

9. Lies

If you have not finished a university degree, make that clear on your CV without neglecting to include the coursework you completed and the educational accomplishments you gained. Similarly, do not list promotions, jobs, titles, dates or job descriptions that do not accurately reflect your work history. Most companies run very detailed background checks. Lies and exaggerations that are not glaringly obvious on the CV or during the interview will often be discovered at the reference or background check.

10. Poor targeting

Make sure you send your CV to the right person at the company with a short, concise cover letter that personalizes it and summarizes your skills, objectives and the value you will bring to the job. Spend some time researching who heads the division you are targeting and what the most relevant competencies are to focus on in your correspondence. Your CV is more likely than not to be disregarded completely if you send it to the wrong person or to a nameless ‘To whom it may concern.’
Source: www.readme.ae
 

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