There are a lot of common CV mistakes people make when CV writing. Any mistakes in your CV can be the difference between getting a job interview and moving on to the next job application form. You could have the best quality CV but a simple mistake could prove to be very costly.

Here are some of the most common CV mistakes that jobseekers make when applying for jobs, and tips on how to avoid them and produce a quality CV.

CV mistake 1: Spelling and grammatical errors. These are very common, and yet they are so easy to avoid. A quality CV will have no errors or mistakes at all. A way to avoid this common CV mistake is to proofread and spell check your CV.

CV mistake 2: Not using keywords that appear in the job description or job advert. The description tells you what they are looking for in a candidate and a quality CV will show that you have those skills.

CV mistake 3: Giving incorrect contact details. If your quality CV does not have your correct telephone number or email address on it then how can they invite you for interview.
CV mistake 4: Giving too much information. A quality CV is 1-2 pages long. Any more than that is usually too much. Use bullet points if you need to and this will help to save space.
CV mistake 5: Leaving gaps in your CV. If you’ve been unemployed for a period of time, don’t hide it. A quality CV will show what you did during that time to improve yourself or your prospects. This is much more impressive to a potential employer than gaps in your CV, or even worse, lies.

CV mistake 6: Not tailoring your CV to the job. Sending out a generic CV will not make yours stand out as a quality CV. Make your CV relevant to each job you apply for, and make sure you send the right CV to the right company of you are sending out more than one at a time.

CV mistake 7: Not attaching your CV if you send it by email. If you have a quality CV make sure you attach and send it in the first email. A follow up email including the forgotten CV attachment does not look professional. In fact, you may have already been dismissed after the first failed email.

CV mistake 8: Using a jokey email address. If you have an email address that says [email protected] then avoid using it. It detracts from your quality CV. Set up an email address just for job responses.

CV mistake 9: Using half a page to list your interests. A quality CV concentrates on skills and experience. There is a place for interests, but don’t list your favourite films, book and cocktails.

CV mistake 10: Not checking all of the above twice.


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