4 Things You Need To Remove From Your CV Immediately

In today’s very competitive job market, employers receive approximately 250 job applications for every job advertised. 

With so many applications going to the employer, it is no wonder that the average employer goes through a CV for about six seconds before deciding what pile your application belongs.

With your application facing the six-second test, it is important that you don’t include information that will distract your potential employer from seeing what you bring to the table.

How then, do you decide what to include in your CV and what to remove?

Here is what you should not include in your CV:

1. Career Objective

Do you have a section that says something like, “a professional who is  looking for opportunities that will allow me to leverage my skills?”

Truth is, this is a vague statement that does not help the employer quickly understand what type of position you are seeking and why you are qualified for the role.

Instead, replace it with a professional summary section that showcases your value proposition and speaks directly to what you know the employer is going to care the most about. Explain why you are a good fit for the position you are applying for by summarizing your relevant qualifications and career achievements. 

2. Third-Person Voice

The fastest way to sound unprofessional is to construct your CV in the third person. Don’t do it.

When you write your CV, your name and contact information are at the top of the page. For this reason alone, the employer will most assuredly deduce that the document they are receiving is from you. So write your CV in the first person, without the pronouns (e.g., “Raised more than Kshs70,000”).

3. Outdated or irrelevant social media profiles

Do not include social media accounts that host unprofessional content on your CV, that do not support your current job goals, and are not regularly updated. If you’re going to include the URL to a social media account on your CV, make sure it reflects your personal brand and serves to demonstrate why you’re qualified for the job.

In addition, create at least one professional online profile on a site like LinkedIn and include the link at the top of your CV. If you work in a creative field, consider creating an online portfolio or blog that has a mobile-responsive design so employers can access your site from any device.

4. Unimportant Jobs From 15+ Years Ago

Your CV is not an autobiography of every job you’ve held since you graduated; it’s a marketing document. So, unless something you did more than 12-15 years ago is vital for your potential employer to know about, you don’t need to list the entry-level job or internship you held back then.

For each former job, think about what you did or achieved that will be required or will hold significant value in the role you are applying for. If it is significant, showcase it.

In The End,

Editing a CV can be tough. People tend to be quite attached to the things they’ve done or accomplished professionally, and passionate about their outside interests. But the bottom line is this: You need to have everything working for you on your CV. 

Not sure if your CV includes any of these mistakes? Let us help! Take advantage of our FREE CV Review!