Common CV Mistakes And How To Avoid Them - Margaret Buj - Interview Coach

Common CV Mistakes And How To Avoid Them Are you sending out your CV and finding that you almost nerve get a reply? However, there are ways to get your CV noticed and snag that important interview. Here are some of the mistakes you may be making, and how to avoid them. Hiding the important information The experience you have is often more important than where youve worked in the past. Many recruiters dont look at a CV if it isnt showing them the info about you that theyre looking for. When designing your CV, look to see if the important sections are front and centre. Dont hide them away in a later section, or they may not be noticed. Using poor spelling and grammar If your CV is full of spelling mistakes and grammatical errors, the recruiter isnt going to look twice at them. Thats because they see hundreds of CVs every day, and they just dont have the time. Thats why you need to weed every mistake out before you hit submit. If you need some help, use a proofreading service such as UK Writings to help you check it over and edit. Not explaining gaps in employment Many people just gloss over the gaps in employment on their CV without a second thought. They hope if they dont draw attention to it, the recruiter wont notice. In fact, the recruiter will spot it instantly and wonder why you werent working. Be upfront about any gaps, and explain what you were doing during that gap. Honesty is always the best policy. Being too vague Gina Capes, CV writing expert, says Many people make the mistake of being too vague in their CVs. They use phrases like a few or many, which dont mean anything on their own. To avoid this, be specific in what youre saying. If you helped exceed fundraising targets, say how much by. If youve worked for a  specific company, say exactly how long you were there for. Including too much info The jobs you have held in the past may be significant to you, but they may not be of interest to the recruiter. Focus on what skills you can bring to the role, and minimise any job roles that dont help you get the interview you want. Leaving in bad punctuation and typos Any CV that contains issues with punctuation, or still has typos in it, will be thrown right out. If you havent corrected your mistakes, then it shows that youre happy to rush things and that you dont pay attention to the little details that make up the big picture. If youre having trouble keeping on top of them, consult with a proofreading company such as Big Assignments in order to keep them out of your CV. Writing an overlong CV A good average length for a CV is around 2 pages long. Any longer than that, and youre in danger of waffling, or including information that the recruiter doesnt need or want. If your CV is too chunky, the recruiter may not even glance at it. If you need to keep an eye on the length of your CV, use a tool such as Easy Word Count to keep an eye on your word count. Being too fancy in your design Those ornate borders and fonts may look good, but theyll just give a recruiter a headache. Make it easier by using a good clean font, and leaving the embellishments behind. Avoid these mistakes, and your experience can really shine through. Tidy up your CV and see for yourself. Author bio: Brenda Berg is a professional with over 15 years experience in business management, marketing and entrepreneurship. Consultant and tutor for college students and entrepreneurs. Self-motivated results driven individual who is encouraged to travel.