Are You Making These 5 Common CV Writing Mistakes?

Stop making these CV writing mistakes

By Selipha Kihagi

The first and most important document when it comes to looking for employment is usually the CV. It is what employers and recruiting managers use to sort through a pool of applicants and select those to interview. In this regard, it is recommended that you have a professional CV in order to better your chances. However, most job seekers are still failing at the CV writing process and sabotaging any chance they have at getting hired.

While a well-structured and marketable CV is the gateway to getting past the application process, most applicants continue to miss out on opportunities due to avoidable CV writing mistakes. To learn more about these CV writing mistakes, Florence Mukunya, a CV Writing expert at Corporate Staffing Services is keen to highlight the top 5 common ones.

Common CV Writing Mistakes You Keep Making

“Recruiters spend about 30 seconds or less with your CV, which means that if they do not find what they are looking for then you do not stand a chance,” says Florence. So, to ensure your CV stands out to employers and recruiters, avoid these common CV writing mistakes.

1. Leaving out important information in the work experience section
Any recruiter or employer will confirm that the most important section of your CV is where you have work experience. Why? Employers prioritize on candidates who have the experience needed during the hiring process. That is why you will find most fresh graduates not getting hired into positions that are clearly entry level. So in the CV writing process, always ensure to capture all the important information.

According to Florence, the work experience section should always have the name of the company, title held, duration and the duties and responsibilities. “The work experience section is the most important part as it guides recruiters on your suitability for the role. So when one leaves out any important information, then they risk losing the position to someone equally qualified,” says Florence.

2. Failure to include achievements
In CV writing, the other key information is usually the achievements. Everyone who has worked in a position for a standard period of time should have achievements included in their CV, and you can read more about achievements here. So when it comes to the CV writing process, Florence says highlighting achievements is even more important.

“Employers and recruiters receive a ton of applications for each position advertised. So when it comes down to selecting among equally qualified candidates, the candidates who include achievements on the CV could be at an advantage,” she says. Does your CV highlight your key achievements?

3. Leaving out Contact information when CV writing

Not once have recruiters had to bypass a qualified candidate because they did not include contact information in the CV. Why have a well written CV and stellar application then leave out your contacts? If a recruiter or employer cannot find your contacts then in turn they will not be inviting you for that interview.

“When scanning through CVs to give advice on any CV writing changes necessary, we encounter CVs that do not include any contact information. While I am able to reply through an email addresses, most recruiters will not have that luxury”. However qualified you may be for a position, if you leave out your contact information, then you automatically ruin your chances.

4. Having a lengthy CV
Do you ever wonder why employers and recruiting managers insist that the CV be a maximum of 2 pages in length? As mentioned earlier, recruiters will spend under 30 seconds with your CV and in this time they need to see your experience level, education and your skills & competencies. For this reason, the information you include during your CV writing process should not only be clear but also brief and to the point.

A lengthy CV is only a document with too much information to work with. “Most candidates, especially those with experience, will include too much information that is sometimes not relevant to the role in question,” says Florence. The CV should be brief and only include relevant information. 

5. Not updating the referees section
The final stage of the recruitment process is usually to confirm a candidate’s credibility through a background check. This is the stage where recruiters will contact referees to give their opinion on your suitability for a position. If the contact information you provide in your CV is not up to date and your referees cannot be reached, then this may be a reason for elimination.

You may have impressed potential employers at the interview stage only for your referees section to let you down. When CV writing, always be selective of the people you include as your referees. You can read more about referees here.

Bottom line 
Applying for a job in Kenya is more or less a competition. Recruiters need to select the best candidate and sometimes the measures used may depend on circumstance rather than the usual process. So in your CV writing process, always remember to pay attention to the details. A single CV writing mistake may be the reason someone else gets hired and you don’t.

“If an Accounting position requires candidates to have working knowledge of Sage Pastel, then make sure that information is in your CV,” Florence concludes.

And if you need assistance with CV writing, all you need is to contact professionals. Email our CV writing department through cvwriting@corporatestaffing.co.ke