12 Common CV Writing Mistakes You Should Avoid

CV/Resume is documents or pieces of information that job seekers use to showcase their selves and to make potential employers pick interest in them.

CV have different format, structures at which it is written, it is always good to make it apt, simple, easy to read and short as much as possible. There are common mistakes on your CV which you need to avoid.

Potential employers have a ways of sorting these CVs that job seekers send to them. It is not as hard as anything to see a good CV for an experienced HR manager, and it’s quite easy to spot errors on CVs.

Common CV Writing Mistakes You Should Avoid

Mistakes are part of life, while writing CV people tend to make mistakes, these mistakes can be avoided but you need to know how. In this article, you will learn Common CV Writing Mistakes and how to avoid these mistakes.

1. Irrelevant Personal Information / Too Much Personal Information on CV

While writing your CV, it is very important to make it simple with enough relevant information, don’t just write what you think you should write.

If a HR manager is about to review 5,000 CVs and you added irrelevant information such as your hair color, eye color, weight or whatever that doesn’t correspond with the aim of writing the CV, these irrelevant information can make a HR manager drop your CV without reading the other part that’s well constructed. And this may ruin your chances of getting to the next step of getting your dream job.

Do not include a whole lot of personal information on your CV. Keep it limited to your professional qualifications and experience.

2. Inappropriate Photo on CV

Although photo is not mandatory part of a CV, make sure to add a professional one, if you must do. Strictly avoid placing a casual photo on your CV.

3. Poor Formatting of CV

A poorly formatted CV would end up nowhere but in the recruiter’s trash bin. Make sure to use the latest format while creating your CV.

4. Too Many Pages of CV

A brief CV would always have maximum potential to get you shortlisted. Make sure to delete any unnecessary information out of it.

5. Hiding important information

CV experts do advice you write simple and short CV, this doesn’t mean you should not put important details that’s needed in the CV. All necessary information, contacts, achievements, previous job experiences shouldn’t be left out, these are the information if well written and structured will boost your chances of making your CV a high class one.

6. Always say the Truth

CV contains so many information that can be easily manipulated, many potential employers won’t do much check on the information provided, they look at them and get triggered about what you capable of. It will be bad to say things that are not true in your CV. You don’t have to put what you have not achieved or attained in your CV.

For example, in your CV you stated that you were paid $1,000 per week in your previous job on CV but in reality, you were paid $500 instead. This kind of information can hurt you later if you are caught. Honesty pays, so be honest with all the information provided.

7. Poor Layout and Design

Poor layout and designs are common errors made while writing a CV. Don’t use a design or layout that’s too bulky and won’t be easy to read. Make it simple as much as possible, this will make the reader treat you well and not put down your CV.

Use font between 10-12, don’t use stylish font but straight forward fond like New times Roman, Ariel, don’t use unnecessary layouts, colour, sub-heading or things that are not relatively not important.

8. Don’t make a bulky Introduction

What most HR Managers checks first in a CV mostly is the introduction. This is an avenue to shoot your shot, make it loaded as much as possible, catchy, easy-to-read, brief, avoid phrases that won’t make it look appealing.

List your qualities that are in line with the job you are applying for. Don’t make it look like you are writing a story about yourself or a novel. Try and make it precise and quite official.

9. Typographical and Grammatical error i.e Spelling & Grammar Mistakes

Writing of CV can be tactical, and one have to be very careful about how you go about it. It should be cross checked again and again to avoid typographical errors, grammatical errors and other punctuation mark error that can occur while writing your CV.

These errors can be a bad omen to job seekers as HR managers can be pissed off, when they come across such errors. It’s not bad to give a professional or a friend to check the CV for you to avoid errors that might cause you a job opportunity.

 

This is one of the most common reasons hiring managers gives, for passing over a resume or CV because it contains spelling and grammar mistakes.

10. Irrelevant Skills

Mentioning skills are great ways to boost your CV and to make it catchy for the HR manager treating them. However it is quite important to always list skills that are important or relevant to the role you are applying for. This kind of error is more common nowadays; they should be avoided as much as possible.

11. Don’t Tamper with your CV

When submitting your CV especially when it’s not over the internet, it very important to make sure you provide them as neat as possible, it shouldn’t be wrinkled, torn and rough. It’s quite unfortunate, some people do submit their CV with some food or tea spill on them, and this is one of the common errors that can kill your CV almost immediately.

Try and put your CV in some clean envelops and the CV should be written on clean white paper, neatly placed in an envelope. If you submit some dirty, wrinkled paper, some employers assume that’s the kind of person you are, and they may not want to give you a job.

12. References

Long CVs are mainly filled with irrelevant information that are not necessary and should have been avoided. Some people would want to impress their potential employers by having a long list of reference(s).

The best way to go about it is to say “Reference is available on request”, this will save you unnecessary long epistle and make your CV more appealing to your potential employer. When reference is needed you will be asked to provide them.

With these few Common CV Writing Mistakes explained above, i believe you can now write a Professional CV/Resume that will make the hiring manager reply you immediately for a Job Interview.

Thanks for reading this article, and i wish you success.