6 reasons your CV is being literally shredded
With lots of jobs attracting huge numbers of applications, employers can afford to be picky with their choices. But a pile of CVs fall victim to the shredder, solely because the candidate has made one of these seven detrimental mistakes.
1. Passport photo
You may think a head shot attached to your CV is impressing employers, but unless they have specifically asked for it, it’s best left off your paper profile. Employers will most likely take a look on your social media if they are interested in your appearance.
2. Too much information
Employers don’t need to know about your life of fantasy war games or how you “enjoy socialising with friends”. Leave the stories to Jackanory and focus on the outcomes and achievements in your previous roles. Be concise and only choose the experience that has direct relevance to the potential job.
3. Too long or too wordy
It’s obvious that a seven-page CV is guaranteed to end up in the bin, but a CV that is too wordy can also put employers off. Waffling on for pages about your personal statement or jobs you had 12 years ago will be a sure way to get your curriculum vitae shredded.
4. Spelling and punctuation mistakes
It doesn’t take long to spellcheck your CV, yet many candidates neglect this stage and send off a profile that can only be fit for the bin. The odd punctuation error may be forgiven if the CV is otherwise flawless, but typos and general grammatical mistakes will leave an awful first impression.
5. Poor layout
Always put your latest jobs or experience at the top of your CV. If you must include your hobbies, drop it on at the bottom of the page, not at the top. Garish use of colour and photographs are not welcome on the average CV either.
6. Job spec should be reflected by the CV
When applying for several jobs, it can be convenient to select the one click apply button and send the same version of your CV to every employer, regardless of the varying requirements for each role. Always tailor your CV to the role you are applying for. This means applying each experience you have to the job description provided.
With the amount of advice and support there is out there for job seekers, there really is no excuse to produce a poor, bin-worthy curriculum vitae.
