6 Mistakes Candidates Make When Writing CVs

Two sheets of A4 to sum up your entire professional experience and reasons why you’d make the best candidate for a role is a tough ask.

We’ve rounded up the six biggest mistakes we’ve seen candidates make when writing CVs so that you can avoid them and clear your way to your dream job:

1. Fancy formatting

We all know how important it is to make a good first impression but don’t be tempted to go overboard on elaborate fonts and design. Stick to clear formatting that can stand out with occasional pops of colour but is ultimately easy to read, navigate and looks professional. Signpost your experience, qualifications and skills with headings and use bullet points rather than long passages of text.

2. Sending without checking

You’d be surprised by how many CVs are sent with spelling and grammatical errors that can be easily corrected by checking over the document before sending. In the pursuit of making a good impression, enlist a set of fresh eyes to comb through your resume and spot the mistakes your tired brain may have missed. Working to a tight deadline? Download the free extension: Grammarly to do the work for you.

3. Stretching the truth

It goes without saying but don’t put anything in your resume that isn’t true. Not only will it halt your application when employers check with references and certification but it could damage future prospects as well.

4. Being modest

Modesty is a wonderful quality but not when you’re trying to explain why you’d be the best person for a job. If singing your own praises makes you uncomfortable then imagine you’re writing about a friend and how skilled and experienced they are and then change everything back to the first person.

5. Including everything

Many candidates want to list every qualification and job they’ve had to showcase the quantity of their professional achievements and experiences. It’s important, however, to highlight quality examples that demonstrate that you have the relevant skills and knowledge for your dream job. Don’t forget your CV should be no more than two sides of A4 or people will likely stop reading.

6. Listing without detail

A final mistake candidates make is to leave out crucial details. Rather than listing your certifications and experience and expecting the reader to match this to the job description and person specification, make it easy for them to see why you are the perfect applicant by briefly detailing the skills and knowledge you’ve gained. Be sure to use buzzwords from the vacancy advert to really proove you’re the professional they’ve been looking for!