Writing your CV can be a complex task and it’s easy to think that filling it out with lots of jargon looks good – it doesn’t! Here’s a list of the things we found that applicants include on their CVs that they shouldn’t.
Irrelevant work experience
It’s important to include where you’ve worked beforehand, however, if it has no relevance to the job you’re applying for, don’t include it! You should also avoid writing about any work experience that is older than 15 years, short-term employment or highlighting that you’ve had a career gap. Recruiters are looking through 100’s of CVs and only want to see appropriate information about the role they’re recruiting for, so be sure to focus on this. However, remember that most roles help you develop transferable skills. If you are lacking work experience in your desired industry, look into the roles you’ve taken and pick out the skills you’ve learnt- just make sure you explain how they’re relevant!
Reasons why you’ve left a job
If you’re changing roles, you’re bound to be asked “why are you looking to leave your current job?” Do not be tempted to slander your employer, no matter the terms you’re leaving on. Always have a positive reply prepared: “I’m looking for a new challenge” is a much better response than “my job is boring!”
A list of tasks or duties without adding relevance
If you’re going to list out what responsibilities you have in your current role, then be sure to include relevance or results to these. Show the employer what you have to contribute and what you’ve already achieved, not just what is required of you in your day-to-day role. Instead, add information about the success of your responsibilities and how they were measured, e.g. they significantly increased morale within your team or helped to decrease staff turnover.
Personal information
Information such as your age, sex, sexuality and faith do not need to be included on a CV. With new legislation being passed, asking for this information is illegal and therefore there is no need for you to include it. Not only is it not necessary, but it’s inadvisable; adding this information can invite discrimination from the employer.
Poor formatting
The way your CV looks in front of a recruiter is vital. Within the first 30 seconds, they will have formed their initial opinion and a badly formatted CV is likely headed straight to the decline pile. Make sure your CV is laid out properly and the information is bullet-pointed as opposed to being in big chunks of text. You should also avoid using outdated or fancy fonts and instead go for more common fonts such as Arial.
