What Turns Employers Off From Your CV?

When writing and sending out your CV  for jobs, we all know the obvious moves we should absolutely avoid.

Whether it’s typos in your CV, an unprofessional email address or using complicated fonts, there are things professionals just never do.

However, there are a lot of things you may not have given a second thought to that could be deterring employers.

Here are a few things to avoid so that your CV gets read and considered.

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1. Complicated formats and designs

When it comes to selecting a design for your CV, less is more.

Not only do elaborate designs and unconventional formats confuse most applicant tracking systems (ATS), but they also annoy employers who are accustomed to quickly scanning a CV for specific information they expect to find in particular spots within the document.

Don’t make employers hunt for the information they care about.

Play it safe and stick to a clean resume design with a clear CV.

2. References available upon request”

Don’t waste valuable space by stating the obvious.

Unless they were specifically requested at some point in the application process, mentioning your references is unnecessary.

When an employer wants your references they will ask for them.

3. Packed or crowded text

Format your CV properly! It takes time, but your CV should be visually appealing.

Being intentional and thoughtful about spacing and length will make your CV easier to read and remember.

Using bulleted lists will achieve this goal perfectly.

4. Speaking in the third person

It’s painful to witness in real life, and it’s just as bad to read on a CV.

Seeing in a job description “John was responsible for inventory and warehouse operations…” won’t accomplish anything.

If an employer finds it stylistically off-putting, it’s even more likely that they won’t want to keep reading.

Don’t use pronouns either. Whether it’s I or She/He. Just start a sentence with a verb describing what achievements you had in the role.

5. Multiple phone numbers

The more contact options you provide on your CV, the easier it is to miss an important message from a prospective employer.

Avoid any confusion by streamlining your contact information. Include one — and only one — phone number on your CV.  This also just reduces decision fatigue for the employer.

Don’t make them question which number they should use to reach out to you. Make it as easy as possible for the employer to reach you.

6. Clichéd phrasing

Be original! When sorting through candidates for an open position, employers see so many similar-looking CVs.

Don’t make it any harder on them by being just another “highly motivated self-starter”; find a way to stand out and make your voice come through in the CV.

7. Personal details

There’s no need to include personal information on a CV such as your ID number, marital status, nationality, or spiritual beliefs.

If you’re unsure whether to include a detail about yourself on your CV, consider if the information is relevant to the job you’re targeting.

If it doesn’t demonstrate your qualifications for the role, it doesn’t belong on your CV.

8. Images/Charts/Graphs

While these design elements may look nice to the human eye, CVs with images get completely omitted from your application, after they pass through the ATS.

In addition, employers don’t want to see a pictorial representation of your skills.

Save your creativity for your online portfolio and don’t include images in your CV .

Before we leave you,

Sadly, most employers only take seconds to skim through CVs.

It’s important to grab their attention so your CV doesn’t end up being filed away with all the rest.

Not sure what works and what doesn’t? Remember you can always reach out to professional CV writers who can help you streamline your CV to be exactly what employers are looking for.