14 CV Mistakes That Can Seriously Harm Your Application.

How confident are you about your CV? Does it effectively showcase your skills? Or does it unintentionally highlights your weaknesses? It is imperative that you get your CV right as it can help you land your dream job or get your application rejected before the employer has read the first paragraph!

Mark O’Pray, Careers Coach at Careers Advice Service, said “We review hundreds of CVs at the Careers Advice Service, often see common mistakes that people make. We want to help candidates avoid all the major CV no-no’s in order give the best possible impression to prospective employers. With the UK job market more competitive than ever, it’s vital that your CV helps you stand out from the crowd, for all the right reasons!”

If you are looking for jobs, then it’s time for you to update and upgrade your resume to make sure it gives you an edge over your competition. Here are 14 common mistakes that you must avoid while preparing your CV-

Grammar & spelling errors

There is nothing worse than a resume filled with spelling errors and grammatical mistakes. Make sure you use the spell-check function and re-check the words that you are unsure about. http://www.workingmums.co.uk/advice-and-support/top-10-cv-errors-to-avoid/

Poor formatting

If your CV has various types of headings, paragraphs, sizes, bullet points and inconsistent fonts that fail to align properly, then your CV will look rather messy and confusing. Choose a particular format and font and use it throughout the resume. http://www.workingmums.co.uk/advice-and-support/top-10-cv-errors-to-avoid/

Starting with a career objective statement

Career objective statements have become outdated and have no place in present business world. The fact is objective statements are rather irrelevant during the initial screening process. http://www.wisebread.com/10-resume-mistakes-that-will-hurt-your-job-search

Excessively long or short

Most resumes are usually too short with barely any information or too long containing unnecessary information. A 2-page CV is seen as industry standard. http://www.workingmums.co.uk/advice-and-support/top-10-cv-errors-to-avoid/

Lacking good structure

Do you know the biggest selling point in your CV is your personal statement? Make sure it is relevant to the job as it is the first thing employers will notice. http://www.workingmums.co.uk/advice-and-support/top-10-cv-errors-to-avoid/

Gaps in career

Clearly explain the gaps in employment, if any. http://www.workingmums.co.uk/advice-and-support/top-10-cv-errors-to-avoid/

Having a negative attitude

Complaining about your last job and expressing grudge over your previous employer is usually frowned upon. Be positive and stay upbeat. http://www.workingmums.co.uk/advice-and-support/top-10-cv-errors-to-avoid/

Poor CV quality

If your resume is printed on poor quality paper, then prospective employers will not take your application seriously. Presentation is as important as your content. http://www.workingmums.co.uk/advice-and-support/top-10-cv-errors-to-avoid/

Adding full references

There is no need for adding full references in your resume. Simply include the line ‘References available on request’ in your CV. http://www.workingmums.co.uk/advice-and-support/top-10-cv-errors-to-avoid/

Insignificant information

You must edit and amend your CV to make appropriate for different employers and job roles so that your candidature seems relevant in each application you send. http://www.workingmums.co.uk/advice-and-support/top-10-cv-errors-to-avoid/ 

Lying

This one goes without saying. If you lie on your CV, sooner or later you will get caught. Make your resume a true and honest representation of yourself. There is no need to lie about your qualifications and experience. http://www.workingmums.co.uk/advice-and-support/top-10-cv-errors-to-avoid/

Lacking Details

Highlighting your accomplishments are more important than focusing on job duties. Employers are keen on hearing what you have done for your company, not the menial tasks you performed. http://www.wisebread.com/10-resume-mistakes-that-will-hurt-your-job-search

Sharing Confidential Information

This is strictly off the charts. You should never disclose confidential information and details to a prospective employer. Recruiters will be wary about hiring you as you might reveal their trade secrets in future. http://time.com/money/3737769/resume-mistakes-job-search/

Ignoring specific job posting requests

Employers often include particular requests on job postings. If you end up ignoring these specific requests from a job posting, then your CV will seriously suffer. http://www.wisebread.com/10-resume-mistakes-that-will-hurt-your-job-search

Follow the tips mentioned above to make your CV more relevant and appealing to prospective employers and boost your chances of landing your dream job.