CV Writing Tips: 8 Common Mistakes You Need To Avoid

By CareerExperts

When it’s time for your job search to commence, reviewing your CV and checking CV writing tips should be at the top of your list.

We all know that it is important to have a properly-formatted and up-to-date CV. However, while we focus our efforts on ensuring our CV looks great to potential employers, it is easy to overlook simple mistakes that could actually be quite damaging to your application. Once you have sent your CV off, this damage is irreversible.

Some mistakes are minor grammatical errors and some are just extremely awkward!

1. Check and double check spelling and grammar

This is the number 1 most common mistake made on CVs, it happens a lot! It is also one of the easiest mistakes to avoid, so there is no excuse!

Poor spelling and grammar tells an employer that you have poor attention to detail and suggests that you may not care too much about the opportunity. To avoid this, rather than just relying on a computer to check your mistakes (computers are not very good in the grammar department), get at least one friend or family member to carefully read through your CV and check for mistakes. They should be able to spot any that you have missed.

2. Avoid long sentences that say nothing at all

Your CV should be concise and direct. Employers do not need a lengthy explanation about everything you have ever done, you can go into more detail at your interview. Try to use concise bullet points instead of paragraphs that will highlight key achievements and skills that are relevant to the role that you are applying for.

3. Always tailor your CV

Remember that every opportunity is different, so using the same generic CV is unlikely to work if you are applying for numerous roles. Consider the role requirements listed in the job advert and make small changes to your CV to show that you match all of these requirements. An employer will then clearly see that you have taken the time to understand the role and know exactly what is required of you.

See all 8 common mistakes and the complete Career Experts article