5 Things You Should Never Include on a CV

A Curriculum Vitae is a very important document when it comes to job search; it’s the document that gets you the interviews. Some CV though, have so many unnecessary details that are a turn off to the recruiters. So what are those things that you should never include on your CV?

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Here is what you should never include on Curriculum Vitae

1. List of Every Job You’ve Ever Held

This includes jobs that are not relevant to your career. A very common one with Kenyan Jobseekers is the IEBC. The thing is recruiters and hiring managers are looking for relevance and stability in your work experience. So the key is to include experience that adds value to your CV and also show cases career growth. For example you could have worked for three employers in your career life, but only two of them are in the industry you’re applying for. Employers don’t want to see a gap in your employment record, so you still need to list that third job but make sure you include thing that are relevant to the job you’re applying for.

2. Another curriculumn writing tip: Do not include family details

Some job seekers tend to include useless such as details about their marital status, kids and even how many siblings they have. Think about it this way, the company could have reservations on hiring a married person, so by including that on the CV you just disqualified yourself even before you could get a fair chance of interviewing for the post. People are keen to know what you can contribute to their organization. So stick to showing your expertise rather than your personal life.

3. Private information

This would range from giving information relating to your health, religion and other details would bother a recruiter and do not necessarily add any value to your CV. There is no reason of including this as it is often a ground for prejudice and getting rejected.

4. Do not include a conclusion statement at the end of the CV

This is a common mistake with most Kenyan job seekers. The common statement that goes like, ‘I declare that all information is true and updated to the best of my ability, along with a date and signature’. Do away with the oath bearing statement; as a matter of fact you shouldn’t lie on your CV so there is no need of confirming that you are not lying.

5. A photo of yourself is not always needed when writing a CV

This is not advisable unless the company you are applying for has specifically asked you to attach a photo. A CV that includes a photo may not appear very professional and remember, it’s important to give a first lasting impression when it comes to Curriculum Vitae as these is the document that gets you an interview. Photos, especially those not taken by professionals can put one up for discrimination.

Stick to these simple Curriculum Vitae writing tips and your CV will receive more attention and consideration when making applications come 2020.

Need help coming up with a professional CV? Email cvwriting@corporatestaffing.co.ke