In a competitive job market one has to have an outstanding CV so as to even get an interview let alone a job.
Below are some of the mistakes that could make a potential employer ignore your CV:
1.Generic CV; never copy and paste ideas from samples, it will only make your CV look like a circus. Try to be specific and discrete.
2.Lists of duties without accomplishments; every job has its share of responsibilities. So focus on what you were able to achieve during your stay at the job.
3.Numerous spelling and grammatical errors; Do not construct your CV in a hurry. Always cross check every word and spelling.
4.It’s poorly formatted; Try not to use excessive styling on your CV. Stick to clear fonts e.g. Arial, and make it simple.
5.It’s too short or too long; do not round up your resume in three lines or over-exaggerate. Try to strike a balance, at most two pages, and keep it interesting.
6.It includes irrelevant details; Stay clear off details that are unrelated to the job e.g. I’m very religious. Simply don’t disclose any information that will not give you an edge over others.
7.Ridiculous email address; Give resumes a professional email. An address like sexy&[email protected] silly.
8.Weird hobbies; never write a hobby that raises more than a few eyebrows. Let it reflect your passions, not some bad joke.
9.Inaccurate dates; ensure that your CV corresponds with your records. Wrong dates can attract questions concerning your character.
10.Unexplained employment gaps; don’t forge imaginary jobs to fill the period you were unemployed. Instead, lay emphasis on the experiences gained.
11.Lack of cover letter; always include a cover letter when submitting your CV.
12.Boring cover letter; be specific in your cover letter. Let it grab the attention of a recruiter who’s scanning through to see if your CV is worth reading.
Now you know that the secret is not in the length of the CV but in the details and presentation.
