Curriculum Vitae: 7 Fatal Errors
A good resume opens doors to the best companies and the most challenging jobs. It’s obvious, isn’t it? Just as obvious is the fact that mistakes or approximations greatly reduce your chances of attracting a recruiter. Clearly, extreme care in writing your resume is essential to your success in landing interviews. Here are the seven worst mistakes you can make on your cv:
#1: Careless mistakes Grammatical errors or approximations immediately give a very bad image: you give the impression that you lack rigor or attention. To avoid this pitfall, make sure that you not only ask for proofreading in your environment, but also use automatic proofreading systems. Finally, proofread several times on the computer and on paper.
#2: A negative mindset Throughout your career, it is common to have had to put up with a “bad” boss. However, don’t mention it in your CV or cover letter. Mentioning it will be detrimental, as you will be identified as a potentially problematic employee.
#3: Lying Any lie is disqualifying in a selection process. So, in your CV, every word counts and don’t be tempted to embellish an experience or say you have a degree if you don’t have one. Nowadays, recruiters are conducting more and more exhaustive reference checks. Thus, even a “small” lie will lead the company to doubt you and therefore not select you!
#4: Always send the same CV Every company (and therefore its needs) is different! Therefore, sending the same CV over and over again is counterproductive, as you are not highlighting the experience and skills that are likely to interest the recruiter. Therefore, make sure you understand what the position requires and relate significant skills and experience. Also try to demonstrate that you understand the company’s expectations by using their language when explaining your background or ambitions.
#5: Talk about money! It’s best not to mention your salary expectations if the recruiter hasn’t specifically asked you for that information. Mentioning salary or bonuses on your CV can come across as presumptuous and will not go down well with the company. In fact, it is advisable to wait for the job interview and the moment the recruiter asks you the question. When negotiating, be sure not to focus only on what you want to achieve, but also to understand your interviewer’s position.
#6: Lack of precision Especially if you are seeking a managerial position, you must be careful to communicate clearly and concisely. Convoluted sentences or useless expressions will, more often than not, do you a disservice, as will “shock”, jargon or “prefabricated” formulas that do not add any value. Knowing how to express yourself simply is a sign of a personality that knows what it wants and how to get it.
#7: Adding unnecessary information Many candidates find it difficult to order and prioritize information and to include certain elements.
Keep in mind that data such as your date of birth or marital status are not necessary, or even advisable: it is your various skills and experiences that should be taken into account. In the hobbies section, don’t be too wordy either! Finally, avoid putting information irrelevant to your career or mentioning the reasons why you left your previous job.
Enter our Employment section on:
