5 C.V Mistakes that Could Cost you the Interview
5 C.V Mistakes That Could Cost you the Interview
(and how to avoid them!)
Your C.V is the key to opening doors in your career, but even the smallest mistake can lead to rejection in today’s competitive job market. Given the short window of time you have to impress your potential employer or hiring manager, you need to ensure you don’t add any red flags to your C.V.
Below, We have listed five most common C.V. mistakes and top advice from the professionals at HR Hire to ensure your application gets noticed for the right reasons.
Submitting a one-size-fits-all C.V. that doesn’t align with the job description is a big no-no! Employers want to see how your experience fits their specific needs. Generic applications fail to demonstrate your suitability.
HR Hire Tip:
Customise your C.V. for each role by mirroring the keywords and responsibilities in the job listing. For example, If the role emphasises "employee engagement," showcase achievements like implementing successful engagement strategies in your previous roles.
Listing duties rather than accomplishments in your work history can hinder your chances of getting an interview as hiring managers already know the responsibilities of your job; instead demonstrate your achievements in the role.
HR Hire Tip:
Highlight measurable achievements so for example, Instead of writing “Managed recruitment processes for the company,” say “Streamlined recruitment processes, reducing time-to-hire by 20% and improving candidate satisfaction scores.”
Filling your C.V. with irrelevant or dated experience makes your application appear cluttered and unfocused.
HR Hire Tip:
Focus on the last 10–15 years of your career and include roles directly relevant to the position. For e.g., If you're applying for an HR Manager role, leave out unrelated experience from early in your career, like an administrative position in a non-HR field, unless it showcases transferable skills.
Submitting a poorly formatted C.V. that’s difficult is an immediate red flag as it shows carelessness in your work. Hiring managers spend less than 10 seconds scanning each C.V., so a cluttered or visually unappealing document will likely be overlooked.
HR Hire Tip:
Use a clean, professional format with clear headings, bullet points, and plenty of white space.
Stick to a consistent font like Arial or Calibri and avoid overly creative designs unless you’re in a creative field.
Typos, grammar errors, or incorrect information such as outdated contact details signal a lack of attention to detail, a crucial skill for any professional.
HR Hire Tip:
Proofread your C.V. multiple times and have a professional or career coach review it for you.
Double-check essential details like your phone number and email address to ensure they’re correct.
