CV Simple Mistakes

6 Simple Mistakes to Avoid If You Want to Create an Irresistible CV

When it comes to your career and your future, it is only natural that you want to find a job with a good salary and prospects. Of course, in order to do this you need to have the right skills and qualifications. You also need to be able to sell yourself to a potential employer. The one way in which you can do this is by sending out a solid, well crafted CV that is so irresistible that you are practically guaranteed an interview.

It’s a no-brainer that your CV is a critical stepping stone toward securing your dream job. In this article, I will talk about the most common, avoidable mistakes that can leave your CV looking unappealing to potential employers.

Top CV mistakes to avoid

It is important to bear in mind that your CV is often the dealing that a potential employer will have with you. If you don’t make the CV appealing and sell yourself, you may not even be invited for an interview. This then means that your dream of securing the job comes to an abrupt end. By making sure you avoid the following mistakes, you can boost the chances of getting that interview and moving a step closer to the career of your dreams:

  1. Failing to research the employer: It is vital to do some research on the company that you are applying to. If you don’t do this, you will find it impossible to tailor the CV to meet the needs of the employer. Potential employers don’t want a one size fits all CV. They want to know what you can offer to the business and how you can contribute to the company’s success. For instance, if the employer is an international one that deals with clients around the world, they may be looking to hire bilingual or multilingual staff. By doing your research, you can then put emphasis on your language capabilities to give you the edge over competitors.
  2. Not structuring the CV properly: Many candidates send out CVs without bothering to structure them in a simple and logical way. Employers do not want to have to go back and forth to get different bits of information. They also don’t want to read through a CV that is frankly chaotic and difficult to digest. You should therefore make sure that all information is a logical order and is easy to read so that your CV doesn’t end up on the rejection pile. Also, use bulleted lists to highlight your skills, as this makes the content easier on the eye than paragraph after paragraph of text.
  3. Making it way too long: You need to remember that you are applying for a job not writing your biography for publication. Some people write lengthy CVs that run into pages, and employers simply don’t have the time and patience to read through all of this in order to obtain the crucial details. You should make sure you leave out irrelevant information and fluff when writing your CV. Ideally, you should send in a cover letter along with a CV that is no longer than two A4 pages. Remember, if you get an interview you will have the opportunity to provide more information and make an impression at that stage.
  4. Failing to explain periods of unemployment: Many people have gone through periods where they have not been working for one reason or another. This will not necessarily affect your chances of getting an interview. However, you need to avoid leaving gaps in employment without any explanation. Make sure you include any periods where you were not working and brief details about why this was.
  5. Telling lies on the CV: Trying to impress by telling porky pies is something that a lot of candidates try and do. However, while you do need to sell yourself on your CV you should never lie to achieve this goal. You never know which facts and information potential employers will check up on – if they do some checks and discover you lied you will have burnt your bridges with that particular employer.
  6. Emailing the CV to the wrong employer: When you are sending out CVs to a number of companies, it is all too easy to get mixed up. You should always tweak your CV so that it matches the needs of each individual potential employer. If you then send the wrong CV to the wrong employer, it is unlikely they will be impressed. Make sure you take your time and ensure that each CV ends up with the right company.

Look Forward to an Exciting Career

Once you’ve perfected the art of creating the perfect CV, you can look forward to securing a great job and enjoying an exciting career. There are plenty of CV resources and even templates available online to help you with your CV, so it is well worth making use of these. Just remember, your CV is designed to secure you an interview. Once you get the interview, you can then rely on your verbal skills to get you to the next stage.

Image Source: http://www.thebluediamondgallery.com/tablet/images/curriculum-vitae.jpg

More from the Author
Comments