CV Crimes – 15 Misdemeanours to Avoid
There is nothing worse than being perfect for a role and not spending enough time on your CV to justify your case. Your CV is your love letter to your future career, so give it the care and attention it demands. These fifteen CV crimes are real.
Getting it wrong doesn’t bear thinking about. If you commit too many of the CV crimes, you won’t even get an invite to the first interview, let alone be offered the job.
Sending a CV that doesn’t fit the role. This is a crime that will get you found out in the end. You might somehow get a first interview, but if your career history is not a fit for the role, you’ll be highly unlikely to get the job. You will simply waste your time.
Issues with your contact details. In the haste to get into the creativity of your CV, you may overlook some of the basics. Come up with a new email address if your personal one is too obscure. Consider which social profiles to include and double-check the mobile number.
Including too many aspirations. Resume objectives are only appropriate if you start your first job or change careers. The company knows that you want to apply to the role – ensure that your CV is about your achievements rather than your dreams.
Generic CVs are a crime
Make minimal changes to the old version. If you are the sort of person to add a new job to your “old” CV every time you look for a new role, you deny that you have changed and developed. Write a fresh CV every time that a job search comes along.
Lack of numbers or context. You might boast that you are a fearsome negotiator, but your CV will read like a list of empty claims if you do not quantify your skills and give them enough business context. Only list numbers and achievements that are impressive.
Including a photograph. With levels of discrimination and unconscious bias at horrifying levels, avoid including a photo in most cases. This can backfire even if you are good-looking – they will assume something else is wrong. CV crimes cause a hiring manager to doubt.
Too many personal pronouns. I did this, and we did that, I, I, I…. While any text written in the third person (but talking about yourself) might seem a little formal, it is precisely how a CV should be written. Start most sentences with the past tense of strong action verbs.
CV crimes – lazy storytelling
Only talking about responsibilities. Too many people think that a great CV involves copying the details of duties from the job description. Your future employers know what is expected of you, so what have you achieved in the past to show that you have what it takes?
Listing basic skills and qualifications. Anyone who writes that they have a “good working knowledge of Microsoft Word” does not deserve to get any job. Do not pad out your skills and qualifications with attributes you share with other job seekers.
Grammar and spelling errors. This is an obvious one, but you never know just who is keen on grammatical accuracy. Use an online program such as Grammarly to pick up the obvious errors. Spelling mistakes are a standard proxy for lack of attention to detail.
Writing one page when there should be two. If you have worked for more than 10-15 years, you should have enough accomplishments to fill a two-page CV. If you go with the option of a minimalist 1-pager, employers will question your desire for growth.
Don’t game the system
Lies, exaggerations or omissions. Never lie on your CV, don’t exaggerate your achievements (or your role in them) and don’t leave out any negatives that may come to light later. It is best to share a truthful CV, as any lies will be easier to discern during an interview.
Including your salary requirements. Don’t include your salary expectations on your CV. While sharing an expected salary range is acceptable, negotiation should wait until the offer stage. Impress your future employer first, then talk about the money.
Keyword stuffing/gaming the ATS. You should be authentic at every stage of the job search process, so stuffing your CV with keywords to pass the ATS test (or including them in invisible white text) is easily spotted. If you are a great hire, you don’t need to play games.
Unprofessional formatting. Whether the font is too small, the CV is a wall of text, or you go over the top with bullet points, every CV needs to be easy to read. Think carefully if you want to introduce any colour, steer clear of any images and avoid the temptation of emojis.
This seems like a long list, and much of it is simply common sense, but when you are in the haze of a job hunt, even silly mistakes can creep in. CV crime doesn’t pay. Literally.
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This blog is shared with Job Seeker Duetists.
Written by former recruitment ghostwriter Paul Drury (not AI).
