
Your CV will be the decision-maker on whether you will secure an interview or not, which is why it is vital that this document is on point and up-to-date for each job application that you submit. Here is a list of the more common CV-writing mistakes which might be lowering your chances when it comes to securing interviews.
- Your Opening Lines Are Weak
The average recruitment agency or recruiter in the UK will spend around 8.8 seconds looking over your CV. If you are unable to grab their attention from the beginning of the CV, the chances are high they will not read your CV to the end.
Instead of boring recruiters with an opening paragraph which is filled with buzzwords, it is far better to come up with a personalized statement that will highlight any impressive qualities or skills that you may have. The resume must communicate your value proposition
Make sure you keep the opening paragraph short and to the point, aiming for around 4 sentences. This content should be able to give an explanation about yourself, what you are able to offer this company, and what your goals for your career are. It is also important to provide any evidence when possible which will prove to recruiters that you could be an addition that is valuable to a company.
- Your CV Format And Structure Is Poor
To make sure you are conveying your experience and skills effectively, the format of your CV must be easy to read and navigate.
98.5% of recruiters today still believe that the traditional CVs holds an essential place in the recruitment process when compared to the quirky counterparts. For this reason, unless you happen to be looking for a job in one of the creative industries, make sure you maintain a plain CV format.
This means that your heading for key skills, personal statement, education, hobbies, and your experience are all clear. A professional CV should not exceed more than 2 pages, as most recruiters are not interested in reading through more than this. If there is an empty space on the CV, format everything neatly so that fills up the page. It will make the CV appear more professional and complete.
In addition, bullet points are really your saving grace when you write up your experiences and skills. Chunks of lengthy text are not as easy to read, where bullets will make your experience and skills a lot easier to read through.
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- You Have Kept Your CV Generic
It is very important that you make the necessary changes to your CV for each job application. While your generic CV may highlight your experience and abilities, tailoring the CV to the job description will ensure that the recruiter is reading the information that is associated with the job opening.
For instance, if you have experience and once worked as a Lifeguard, this would not be very relevant when you apply for a sales position. However, when the description of the job states that successful candidates are required to work under pressure, then tailor the lifeguard job in order to highlight this particular quality.
When you tailor your CV to the skills which are required for a role, this indicates to the recruiter the reason why you would be a great match, along with increasing your chance to secure an interview.
- There Are Grammatical And Spelling Errors
If you have grammatical or spelling areas in your CV, this is regarded as highly unprofessional. It would also instantly ruin your chances when the recruiter is in search of a person that has “an eye for detail”, as you would have proven you definitely do not have one.
71% of recruiters have ranked spelling mistakes as one of the worst CV crimes. For this reason, it is really important to proofread your CV when you complete an application for a job, even when you are excited about sending the application as fast as you can.
Take the necessary time once you have completed your professional CV, in order to read over everything very carefully. It is always a good idea to get another person to read over it for you, or read it back to yourself aloud.
- You Have Failed To Prove Your Value
Unless you have backed up your skills with related evidence linked to their development, it is unlikely that you will be able to provide proof about your value when it comes to recruiters.
Here is an example: I am a motivated and ambitious individual”. This statement may sound great, but it is more important to display your value to a recruiter, rather than just lists of adjectives. Here is something much better: “I have exceeded my sales target consistently by more than 10% month-on-month due to my motivated and ambitious nature”.
This is why backing your skills up with real evidence will display how your overall work has impacted your employer, along with giving an accurate indication on what type of value you can provide to the new role.
We hope, that these tips on how to write your CV will help you to avoid sabotaging those job searches. Here is a quick recap:
– The format of your CV must be correct
– Proofread with a fine-tooth comb
– Back up your professional achievements and skills
If you apply these tips, you will quickly increase your chances of landing the interviews that you want.