5 CV Writing Mistakes You Can’t Afford To Make
By Ruoro Kairu
On average, recruiters and employers spend a minute scanning through your CV. Partially, this is because of the number of applications received on any single job opportunity. Your CV, therefore, needs to be a cut above the rest. You need to avoid some common mistakes that could ruin your chances of being called for an interview.
Here are five mistakes you should avoid while writing your CV.
Mistake #1: Only Listing Duties and Responsibilities From Your Previous Experience
One of the most redundant parts of your CV is the responsibilities bit. While a recruiter wants to know where you have worked, they are not interested in knowing what responsibilities you held.
What they are really looking for, are the accomplishments you had while working with your previous employers. Accomplishments build your strong points as well highlight your areas of competency.
When writing your CV, impress the recruiter with your previous and ongoing successes.
Mistake #2: Not Specifying Employment Dates
Want to stand out before a recruiter or employer? Start by making their screening work as seamless as possible. You possibly know your CV should be neat and appealing to look at, what you might not know, however, is how to include the minute details.
If you have previous working experience, include the date you joined the previous company, as well as the date you left. Be as specific as possible.
No recruiter wants to spend their time calculating how long your working experience is. Furthermore, since they are mostly scanning through, they will likely toss aside your application if it lacks specific details.
Mistake #3: Not Proofreading Your CV
A typo here and there may not seem like a big deal, but it could just cost you that dream job.
As much as we emphasize that employers and recruiters only scan through your application for a few moments, it is worthwhile to note this is what they do for a living. This means they know what to look at, and with a few glances, they can make out most of the mistakes on your application.
Consequently, you must take the time to read through your application and ensure the grammar is correct and there are no typos. You can also get an extra pair of eyes to read through and give their opinion.
Be careful what language you use, and look out for some of that Kenyan lingo and sheng that might be acceptable in informal settings.
Mistake #4: Giving Too Much Information
If you look back a few years ago, details such as date of birth, gender, marital status, and nationality were acceptable. However, this information has been rendered redundant with time.
For starters, such information takes up unnecessary space on your CV. It can also distract the recruiter from more relevant information on your CV. Having this information could lead the recruiter or employer to knowingly or unknowingly discriminate against you.
When writing your CV, try and omit the irrelevant information such as religion, sex, marital status, color, and race as these could keep you from getting the job.
Mistake #5: Failing To Customize Your CV
The more jobs you apply for, the more tempted you’ll be to generalize your CV. While this could make your application process easier, it will also make it harder for you to get a job. Recruiters expect to see how well you can perform in a particular job, when you generalize your CV to fit a number of roles and applications, it hurts your chances of being called for an interview as it’s too broad
Quick Read >>> What employers seek for on your work experience section?
Despite how qualified you are, having the wrong CV will hurt your chances of being called in for an interview. If you avoid these five mistakes, you’ll improve your chances of being called in for the interview. If you would like to have your CV professionally written, you can enlist our skillful CV writers.