Your CV is the first impression that a potential employer has of you, so you don’t want silly mistakes holding you back from getting the job you want. On average, hiring managers only spend about 6-8 seconds reading a CV, so you don’t have much time to impress.
We’ve compiled some common mistakes to avoid your CV being tossed to one side.
Make it easy to read
The layout of your CV is much more important than you think, huge chunks of text and no order can lead to them being overly long. Ideally, your CV should be two pages – three at the max. Writing too much means your achievements will be lost amongst other things, and whoever is reading your CV will skim over the key info. You’re competing against lots of other CVs, so make it easy!
Be Honest
It’s tempting to exaggerate the truth when looking for a job, but pushing this too far is easily noticeable, and highly discouraged if you’re found out you’ll leave a much worse impression than if you are just underqualified.
Back up your facts
It’s all good and well having multiple achievements, skills, and experiences on your CV but if you don’t have the evidence to back it up or explain where and how you have used these skills, the employer may feel you are not the right fit for the job. Don’t just focus on the things you did, but also on the things you have achieved and how you did them!
Keep it Simple
Black and white, consistent font and clear subheadings- these three rules are a good guide when writing a CV. Certain jobs might require a little more creativity but make sure it is relevant to the job role and industry before committing.
Check your spelling
It sounds simple but recruiters often find silly spelling mistakes. Regardless of the job or industry, spelling mistakes will make you come across as lazy and the hiring manager will think you have very little interest in the role. So always proofread and spell check!
Creating a good CV takes time, but it’s worth it for that dream job!
For more CV advice, check out our other blogs on CV formatting, interview tips and job searching here: Buildrec.com/blog. You can also send your CV directly to us at info@buildrec.com.
