Top 5 CV Hates!
There’s nothing recruiters hate more than sifting through hundreds of poorly written CV’s. After the 50th “I’m an innovative and talented professional who works well in a team or individually” you just about want to tear your hair out. So rather than sit and make myself go bald, I thought I’d make a list. Below are my top 5 CV hates... take a look, and check your own CV!
1: Predictable
When you’re reading hundreds of CV’s, it’s always really frustrating to read the same sentence over and over again. Yes, you may be an innovative team player who also works well alone, but that’s not what a recruiter wants to read. Your personal statement should be just that, personal. Tell them something about yourself that’s also relevant to the job, not just what you think they want to hear.
2: Unfocussed
Everybody changes their minds about what they want to be doing at some point, but your CV shouldn’t read that way. When a recruiter sees that you have had employments doing 10 different things in 10 different industries, they see you as unfocussed, and not likely to stick to the job they’re advertising. If you have been unfocussed in the past, either condense your CV to show the most relevant jobs in detail and just a note about the ones you didn’t stick at for long, or take the time to explain in your personal statement why you haven’t stuck on a single path. Just don’t leave...
3: Gaps in your CV
You took a year out to travel; you were made redundant and temped while you were looking for a new job or career; you were caring for a sick relative and couldn’t work; it doesn’t matter what you did or why, just make sure there’s something there! Gaps in a CV look unprofessional, and give the impression you are unmotivated about finding a job, or worse, there’s a reason you’re not willing to share why you were out of work. Not things most potential employers look for in their newest recruit.
4: Irrelevant
When you’re applying for a job, make sure it’s a job that you’re actually willing to do, and more importantly, are capable of doing. Most recruiters get hundreds of applications for each Job, and so many of them don’t have the relevant knowledge or skills required. The job spec is there for a reason, so read it carefully before applying, because you’re not doing yourself any favours applying for a job you can’t do!
5: Badly Written
The one I hate the most, and yet the easiest one to correct. Badly written CV’s are the bane of a recruiter’s life. It’s hard enough having to read hundreds of CV’s for a job, but if you have to decipher someone’s poor spelling and grammar, it makes it that much worse. Always use a spell check; they’re there for a reason. And if you know you’re not great at writing, ask a friend to read it for you. Be careful with tenses; don’t start a sentence saying you used to work in a department, and then follow it with your responsibilities are. Check your formatting. Don’t have single sentences on a new page when you could make the text a little smaller or move the page margins. If you use bullet points, use the same throughout, don’t suddenly change half way through. And keep It short, 5 page CV’s don’t impress as much as you think they do. Concise and to the point is always better.
So there you have it. Simple things, but well worth your time if they help you get the job you want!
Do You Have a Pet Hate on CV's?
If you do, why not tell us, and see if we can make it a top 10!
Leave your name, your company and your pet hate below, or tell us anonymously if you prefer!
|
