4 CV Writing Mistakes You Need To Avoid

By Ruoro Kairu.

The competition in the job market is stiff. Any job advertisement you come across may have anywhere from hundreds to thousands of applications.

If you want to be called in for an interview, there are some CV writing mistakes you need to stay away from.

These mistakes include;

1. Sending your CV under the name CV

I spoke to a recruiting officer and was surprised how many people label their CV simply as ‘CV.’

Remember, there are multiple applications on the job you’re after. After the employer has gone through the applications, they’ll create a shortlist of the most promising applicants.

If your CV is just labeled ‘CV,’ chances are high the employer will forget about it as it doesn’t stand out.

What then should your CV read? Ideally, include your official names, and CV at the end. For example, if you’re Otieno Kamau, your CV should read ‘Otieno Kamau CV’

2. Spelling and grammar mistakes

Remember, there are other job seekers after the job you’re applying to. This competitiveness means the employer will look at every detail.

A spelling error may not seem like a big deal, but countless professionals have missed employment opportunities due to this.

To an employer, a grammatical error is an indication that you’re not attentive to detail, or you don’t take your time reviewing tasks.

What’s the solution? After you’ve written your CV, take a few days from it, then go back and look at any errors. Additionally, you can send it to a few people for them to help you edit.

3. Unprofessional emails

On the CV, one of the first details is your contact information –which includes your email address.

Have a professional email that possibly includes your name. Don’t use emails with funny or unprofessional names. Also, if you can, use an email that doesn’t include numerical figures.

Remember, the email listed on your CV should be the same you use to send in your application.

4. Applying for jobs you don’t qualify

A while back, a job seeker complained he never hears back from employers. In his email, he wrote “There’s a company I want to work with, I have applied for every job they have posted. I have never been called even for one –not even for the entry-level ones. I think the company is discriminating against me.”

Most professionals believe you should apply for every job. However, once you make a few applications to jobs you’re not qualified to, the employer flags your CV, and when you make any application, they most likely won’t open it.

Applying for all jobs also shows desperation, an unappealing attribute to most employers.

When applying for a job, carefully go through the job description, qualifications, and responsibilities. Only apply to jobs that match your qualifications and experience.

Ultimately, remember the job market is very competitive. If you want to stand out, you must have a professional CV.

For assistance drafting a professional CV that will get you interviews, have a look at our Professional CV Writing Service.