12 CV Mistakes To Avoid At All Cost

Most candidates can write an average CV. Drafting an interview-winning one, however, is a different story. From adopting a best-practice structure, to creating relevant content, to formatting your document right, it can be a confusing process.

However, have no fear. In this article, I will present you with the most common CV pitfalls and advise you on how to fix issues based on my experience as the Founder & Director of CareerHigher and an ex-recruiter. Feel free to use this resource in combination with Glassdoor’s CV writing guide for maximum results.

Without further ado, I present you with the top 12 CV mistakes to avoid during your job search:

1. Not optimising your CV based on your career goals

Mistake

Creating a generic CV based on your candidate background regardless of your desired next career step may sound enticing. After all, what matters is your experience, achievements, and skills, right? Nope!

Solution

As a candidate, your CV is your key marketing, branding, and sales document. Instead of cutting corners, take the time to research, understand, and accommodate your target audience. Here is how you can do this.

Firstly, identify your target industry, employer, and a few vacancies that represent your desired next step. Then, analyse these vacancies to understand what your target audience is looking for.

Take it one step further by focusing on the keywords, language, and tone of voice they use. Once done, use this exercise to identify the most relevant parts of your experience and expertise and phrase them in the right way. Now, you are ready to create specific, relevant, and compelling content for your CV.

2. Not customizing your CV for each application 

Mistake

Another common mistake that hampers a candidate’s success is not tailoring their CV for each application. Even if you have built strong foundations based on the above advice, it is always recommended to make some specific changes.

Solution

Each vacancy gives you all the information you need to refine your CV accordingly if you take the time to analyse it.

Firstly, use the job title as your title below your name. Then, align your goals with the industry, employer, and opportunity in the professional summary section.

Lastly, make sure you include all the required keywords assuming they apply to you. If you like, you can use technology to sense-check you are on the right track, such as JobScan, RezRunner, and SkillsSyncer.

3. Including irrelevant personal information

Mistake

Have you included a headshot in your CV? What about personal information, such as nationality, marital status, and age? If yes, we need to talk!

Solution

According to the UK’s Equality Act of 2010, an employer must not discriminate against prospective employees on the basis of color, sex, age, national origin, and beliefs among other factors. To avoid being sued for discrimination, employers commonly reject all applications that include any information in relation to the above. Don’t fall into this trap. Instead, only include your name, address, contact details, and LinkedIn profile.

4. Including an objective statement

Mistake

Leave objective statements where they belong: to the 20th century. This section is by definition generic, not related to the employer, and not helpful to candidates. However, there is a best-practice alternative, which you can find below.

Solution

Start your CV in a strong way by using a professional summary. Use your first sentence to provide a summary of your skills, experience, and achievements. Then, elaborate on a few more sentences to explain how you can add value to the employer through this opportunity. Remember, objective, specific, and relevant content always wins over generic, vague, and cliche statements.

5. Missing relevant key skills

Mistake

Employers are looking for skills. However, many candidates don’t realise the importance of including these in their CVs. Here is how you can avoid this mistake.

Solution

Identify relevant skills from your target job. Then, ensure you add the ones that apply to you across your CV. While you can and should install these keywords in multiple sections, the key skills section is your best friend.

For maximum impact, place this section at the top of your CV right below the professional summary section. Rinse and repeat for each application to stay relevant and maximise your results.

6. Not focusing on results

Mistake

Your CV is not a job description. Yes, it is important to summarise your duties and responsibilities for context. However, it is more important to detail your results, as they represent the value you can add to potential employers.

Solution

If you are struggling to identify relevant achievements, ask yourself:

Regardless of your role, level, and job function, all positions and workers deliver results related to the above in some way. Understand what you have offered. Then, quantify it and highlight it in your CV.

7. Not using STAR bullet points 

Mistake

Big chunks of text are hard to read. Instead, breaking down your experience into easy-to-understand pieces improves readability and makes the readers’ life easier. This is why when drafting your professional experience section, bullets are your best friend.

Solution

Creating the perfect bullet is no easy task. If you want to impress readers, start by grouping your responsibilities, actions, and results until you are left with 3-5 categories. Then, use the STAR method (situation, task, action, result) to formulate a complete, informative, and relevant bullet for each category. Remember to detail your actions and results.

8. Not utilising strong action verbs

Mistake

Don’t be the candidate who uses “managed” 10s of times in their resume. Instead of generic, vague, and weak verbs, be specific. Strong candidates use strong verbs that clearly describe their actions and achievements.

Solution

Avoid monotony and repetition by using multiple action verbs. As a rule of thumb, try not to use a verb more than a few times throughout your CV. This way, your audience can be clearer on how you can help them. Having said that, make sure your content is easy to understand and not over-complicated.

9. Not including relevant soft skills

Mistake

Typically, job seekers tend to focus on technical skills, assuming they are the most important to employers. However, this is a myth. According to research, soft skills, such as creativity, innovation, and problem-solving, are the ones most in demand.

Solution

Complement your CV with relevant soft skills. This allows the recruiters to get a holistic understanding of the value you can deliver. To identify which skills are relevant, go through each job description. Then, add these skills to your CV and get ready to impress hiring managers.

10. Making grammatical errors and typos

Mistake

Grammatical errors are deal-breakers for many employers and can lead to rejection. Don’t be a clumsy candidate. Impress recruiters with a polished, professional, and error-free document.

Solution

Proofread your CV twice and run it through Grammarly. Once that is done, get it reviewed by a friend or a family member, too. This thorough quality assurance process will guarantee great quality and give you peace of mind. 

11. Not adopting a best-practice structure

Mistake

Many candidates put emphasis on content but forget to structure their CV effectively. Sadly, an unstructured CV is likely to create a poor first impression that can impact your job search results negatively.

Solution

A best-practice CV structure for experienced professionals should look like the following:

If you are a graduate or an early-career professional, we recommend prioritising the ‘Education’ section and adding it before your ‘Experience’. Furthermore, avoid adding unconventional section titles like ‘part-time jobs’ or ‘internships’, as it can be confusing to hiring managers.

12. Formatting your CV incorrectly

Mistake

While content and structure are crucial for your CV, formatting also plays an important role. Many professionals ignore this part and submit a CV with inconsistent formatting. Some common issues I see include:

Related: CV Layout: Structure & Formatting Tips to Get More Interviews

Solution

A few things that you can do to avoid the above mistakes are:

i) Helvetica

ii) Times New Roman

iii) Calibri

iv) Cambria

v) Arial

Related: Best Font for a CV