Common CV Mistakes

Anyone who spends a lot of time hiring will tell you that there are common CV mistakes that they see over and over again. These common CV mistakes are a disaster for a potential employee, as they doom your chances of getting a job even before you get in the door.

The bottom line is that if you can eliminate these common CV mistakes you will dramatically increase your chances of getting a job.

The most common CV mistakes include:

Lying or making things up: you would think people would be smart enough to tell the truth, but it's amazing how many people fabricate information on their r?sum? to try and impress employers. Experienced employers are skilled at spotting these types of lies or exaggerations, and if you are discovered, you will lose your job.

Writing too much or too little: A typical r?sum? is one to two pages - one page if you have relatively little experience, two pages if you are older and have more experience or qualifications.

Spelling and grammar mistakes: It is crucial that you review your r?sum? for spelling and grammar mistakes. Use a spellchecker first and foremost, and then have someone else read it through to make sure it makes sense. Simple mistakes like this will doom your application.

Getting too clever with things like font, layout, coloured paper etc: There are standard ways of laying out a r?sum?. Most experts recommend that you start with your key skills and recent experience, then go on to your Profile, Achievements, Experience, Special Skills (e.g. languages, IT skills), and your Education and Training. In addition, avoid things like coloured paper or fancy fonts. Employers hate them.

So how do you know what people want? One simple way is to put yourself in the place of the employer having to wade through two hundred applications and try to choose who to interview - what do you want to see in the r?sum?s you read?

The answer is simple - you want to see well-written, clearly presented r?sum?s that tell you what you want to know in a clear, predictable manner.

If you aren't sure what all this looks like when it comes together, why not check out some r?sum? samples online? Seeing how other people do it is one of the best ways of learning, and will help you avoid the pitfalls that can send your r?sum? straight to the rubbish bin!