8 Common CV Mistakes and how to avoid them

Our Recruitment Consultants have seen their fair share of CVs that have made us chuckle, cringe, and everything in between! Creating the perfect CV is an art form and, like any masterpiece, there are a few common pitfalls you’ll want to avoid. Let’s have a look at some of the most frequently seen CV traps and how you can avoid falling into them:

1. The “War & Peace” CV

Is your CV longer than the latest best seller? Keep it concise guys!

Your CV should be a maximum of 2 pages, 3 as an absolute maximum. Think of it as a highlight reel designed to get you the interview, not your autobiography. Save the detailed life story for your memoirs.

2. TMI (Too Much Information)

Is the fact that you’re married, divorced or single with X number of kids, 2 dogs and 3 hamsters’ going to enhance your chances of securing an interview? If the answer is yes, then this is not a company you want to work at!

Stick to what’s most relevant to your application. Hiring managers don’t need to know all your personal details, your name, town, email and mobile number will do for starters and anything else can be shared at an interview. Unless of course your 3 hamsters are expert coders, in which case that is very relevant.

3. Overly Creative Job Titles

Creativity is great in a CV but please stick to regular job titles. Hiring managers are looking for clear roles and responsibilities so telling them you’re a “Marketing Ninja” or a “Sales Guru” doesn’t tell them you’re an expert in those fields, it tells them you’re a bit of a twit.

4. Exclude Irrelevant Work Experience

When you’re applying for that Managing Director job at a FTSE top 50 company, the McDonalds job you had whilst you were at University is no longer relevant, whether you had 5 stars or not.

Instead, focus on the last 7 years of relevant work experience and highlight key achievements from any other roles prior to that in your personal statement of key achievements/skills section. Everyone appreciates that you can still make a Big Mac but save it for the Christmas party once you’ve got the job.

5. Generic Personal Statements

Everyone is a “hardworking individual” who “loves the industry they work in” and is “dedicated, reliable and a great problem solver”… according to their CV at least.

Instead of using these overused phrases and cliches in your personal statement, try to provide specific examples and achievements that demonstrate these qualities.

For example, instead of saying “I am a problem solver” you could say, “In my previous role, I identified inefficiencies in our workflow and implemented new processes that reduced project completion times by 20%.” By being specific and providing some tangible evidence it will be more authentic, believable and appealing to the hiring manager.

6. Spelling and Grammar Errors

Nee Naw Nee Naw – it’s the Grammar Police! This is one of our favourites to see on a CV from a humour perspective but not a good look if you’re the person who has got this on your CV!

Do any of these sound familiar?

• “Manger” instead of “Manager”
• “Their” instead of “There” or “They’re”
• “Definately” instead of “Definitely”

Spell check exists for a reason but it doesn’t always pick up errors in grammar so make sure you proof read your CV before sending it out. Sometimes reading it our aloud or asking a friend to review it can identify some of these classic errors. Mistakes can make you look sloppy, so if you’re an experienced “manger” then “there” “definately” not going to interview you.

7. Too Much Jargon & Acronyms

“As a PMP with a proven track record in B2B and B2C, I utilized my SEO, SEM, and SMM skills to improve CTR and CPA, while adhering to GDPR and CCPA, using CRM and ERP systems to maximize ROI and ensure KPI alignment with OKRs, leading to enhanced UX and CX.”

You get the point! While it’s good to show you know your stuff, ensure your CV is easily readable and easy to understand. If your 3 coding hamsters can understand it, then you’re on the right track.

8. Unprofessional Email Addresses

This is an oldie but a goodie, and a mistake that we still see on CV’s. Using an email address like “party_animal69@hotmail.com” is not creating the best impression for your reader. Take the time to create a more professional email address with your actual name/initials included… unless of course, you’re applying for a job as a party animal, in which case you’ve nailed it!

Avoiding these common CV mistakes can make all the difference to your application. Remember, your CV is likely to be your first impression on the hiring manager, and first impressions last so, make it a good one! Keep your CV relevant, concise and error-free… and above all, don’t forget to let your personality shine through – just save the pet hamster stories for the interview.