What are the 5 mistakes people make when creating a CV?

A CV is a document that showcases an individual’s skills, experience, and educational background to the hiring managers and convinces them that you are the right fit for the role.

However, most people often make various mistakes when creating a CV.

As a professional HR working in the industry for 7+ years, I have come across thousands of CVs full of errors.
I’d never select a candidate whose CV contains mistakes, as it suggests a lack of interest and seriousness.

So, if you’re planning to land your dream job, be sure not to fall for the mistakes I’ll be sharing in this blog.

Mistake #1: Bad Spelling and Grammar

Most candidates neglect to go through their CVs and check the grammatical errors in the content. One study shows that 81% of CVs have grammatical errors.

In addition, these mistakes often portray lousy communication, a lack of seriousness, or an uninterested in the position.

So, in my initial years in this profession, I understood and also arranged various workshops to help people know how to fix these errors in no time. Some important tips are:

1. Always use quotation marks when using someone else’s exact words.
2. Use online tools and software such as Grammarly to fix the content.
3. Make sure to use apostrophes when showing ownership of something. For example, the client’s requirements, etc.
4. Use the past tense when telling about previous work experience.

Mistake #2: Poor Formatting

Almost 75% of CVs don’t get selected due to poor formatting, content, or lack of keywords (Source: Gitnux). This means that only 25% get past the ATS software and in front of a human recruiter.

My tips to fix these mistakes?

They are:

1. Pick a specific color theme and template according to the job position you are applying for and stick to it.
2. Use professional fonts such as Arial, Times New Roman, with size 10-11 to write the content.
3. Don’t add paragraphs; instead, add bullet points to highlight key points.
4. Make sure to divide your sections to avoid the extra white space on the page. Also, keep line spacing in texts of 1-1.15.

Mistake #3: Lengthy CVs

The average time that a recruiter spends reviewing a CV is between 6-8 seconds. Therefore, it’s important to only add relevant and most important details about yourself.

So, the best solution is to always add your information in reverse-chronological format.

Also, aim to conclude your CVs within 2 pages maximum. In addition, make sure to only add relevant work experience. For example, the recruiter won’t be interested in knowing about your experience as an accountant if you’re applying for the position of marketing position.

Mistake #4: Not Tailoring the Content Accordingly

There’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all when it comes to creating CVs.

If you are someone who has created one and sends it to every recruiter to apply for different industry roles, you must stay right there.
Tailoring your CVs shows that you haven’t just thrown it randomly at every job position you see on the website. Instead, you aim to land that particular job or desire to work with the XYZ company.

So, here are my tips to tailor the content of a CV:

1. Research the company and the role you are applying for. After that, tailor your content, writing style, and skills.
2. Carefully read the job description to highlight relevant duties, skills, and experiences.
3. Don’t list every job experience in your CV, just add the relevant ones.

What I did: Initially, I didn’t know how to tailor a CV according to the job description. Therefore, I connected with a reliable service, My Perfect CV, and got their help to understand the importance and need for tailoring the content.

Mistake #5: Wrong Contact Details

Suppose you have spent hours creating your CVs to get a positive response from the hiring managers. And the most essential step (adding the right contact details) is not correctly done. How would you feel?

On average, I have come across more than 5,000 CVs like this that were on point, but I couldn’t reach out to these professionals. The reason? Incorrect number and email.

This is why adding correct contact details is vital.

Here are the important points to add to your CVs:

First and last name

• Phone number
• Email address
• Social media handles (particularly LinkedIn)
• Location

Getting Help From Professional CV Writers

Of course, there’s no lie that a CV matters a lot to land your dream job. Therefore, if you are not sure of your CV writing skills, then it’s best to consult with a professional.

So, once you visit Google and search “CV Writing Services In UAE,” you will have several options to connect with.

However, not all of them are worth getting help from because of scams, false promises, and other factors.

How To Pick Reliable CV Writers

It’s crucial to select the right CV writers if you are considering connecting with one:

Reputation and Reviews

At this point, you must be frustrated and might be thinking, “Oh, how can I dodge these mistakes?”

Well, it’s pretty simple if you connect with experts.

So, before connecting with an expert, always check for their reviews and ratings.

For that, you must look for verified reviews from customers on platforms like LinkedIn, Bayt, or Google.

Ask for Samples

A very important step is to ask the experts for their work samples. In addition, it helps to understand the quality of work and ensure that it matches your expectations.

If a service doesn’t have any samples or forbids sharing them, know that it they are a red flag.

Professional Certifications and Training

It’s recommended to look for writers who are members of an organization like the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PARWCC).

Customized Approach

One of the ‘must-have’ elements and skills of a professional CV writer should be to offer customization options.
In addition, it helps to add uniqueness to the content and also makes it worthy of sending to different hiring managers according to the job role.

Final Thoughts

A CVs is something that holds the burden of your entire professional career.

Therefore, candidates need to avoid making any kind of errors in their CVs. In addition, this helps to stay right on track as well as land their dream job.

Also, an individual can always look for a professional CV writer and get their assistance to write a CV. In addition, they can provide the right guidance and ensure that you stand out from others in the job market.