Your CV is the key to getting you considered for an interview so you can imagine how important this piece of paper is when you are on a job hunt. When we talk about the CV, its minor details are what reveal the amount of effort you’ve put in – or didn’t. The hiring managers review a lot of resumes as a part of their job, so it’s only natural they will grow weary of seeing the same mistakes, outdated formats, and overall sloppiness day in and day out.

So, the best way to get yourself considered for a job is to give the recruiters’ overworked eyes a rest and create a stellar CV that doesn’t tap dance on their nerves. Before you get started on doing just that, make sure to avoid the following CV pitfalls, to beat the competition.

The Bland Summaries

Your CV needs to start off really strong. This can be done with a well thought off and well-written career summary. This shouldn’t include vague statements like “I’m a team player” or “I’m highly motivated”. Instead, it should be like “I have a proven ability of effectively developing and leading teams in start-up environments”. Remember, your career summary doesn’t have to be overly creative, but it should be thought of like an elevator pitch.

The Vague Dates

While you mention your work-history in the CV, make sure to include the months of service not just the years. Mentioning only the years would give the hiring manager an impression that you’re trying to hide your employment gaps. In case you had a short stay at any company, feel free to add a short explanation within the CV, about it.

The List of Job Responsibilities

According to the modern recruiters, it’s better to include quantifiable accomplishments instead of including a long list of job responsibilities in the CV. After all, they’re recruiters and they already know what your job entails. In short, you need to focus more on the results instead of the activities.

The Empty Buzzwords

It’s a common thing for job-seekers to include the empty buzzwords in their CVs like “proven track record”, “collaborative” etc. without any context. Remember, these buzzwords don’t mean anything to a recruiter. Instead, you should add in some bullets that can show (rather than tell) the recruiter about your attributes, and back up your claims with results-driven examples.

The Careless Errors

The spelling errors, messed up margins, odd spacing and inconsistent font sizing are some of the primary blunders made by job-seekers in their CVs. These errors ruin your professional image even before it’s made. Unless you’re in a creative-type field where innovative formats are welcomed, you shouldn’t be too creative or cutesy in your CV.

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