Common CV Mistakes

Once you’ve completed the first draft of your new CV, read through the below list and check you haven’t made any of these common CV mistakes. You’ll be glad you did!

1. Writing “CV” or “Curriculum Vitae” at the top. This is a waste of space as the employer will understand the purpose of the document.

2. Adding in details such as age, marital status, religion etc. These are irrelevant to an employer and take up valuable space on your CV. All the employer needs to know is how suited your skills & experience are for the job.

3. Typos! Using your computer’s spelling and grammar checker is good practice, but also get a friend or relative to read the CV through as they'll be able to spot things a computer can’t.

4. Only include information which is relevant to the job you’re applying for – the employer doesn’t want to know your life story!

5. Don’t include a photo on your CV. This is irrelevant and some employers really don’t like it!

6. Don’t put your salary information on your CV. A savvy recruiter will be able to estimate from your job title & responsibilities what salary bracket you fall into.

7. Don’t stretch the truth – this will only serve to trip you up further down the job application process. For example, if you state your MS Excel skills are excellent when in truth they're basic and you're presented with an Advanced Excel test at interview, you’re going to look pretty silly.

8. Don’t try to use humour in your CV. What people may find funny in person generally doesn’t come across well on paper. While humour may make your CV stand out to a recruiter, they'll probably remember you for all the wrong reasons.

See also:
How to write a strong CV