Writing a CV for a job you really want can be a daunting process. You have to sell yourself and showcase your best qualities to the recruiter, all within a tiny A4 sheet or two of paper. In a sense it can be thought of as your personal branding, a journal that tells your story. But your story needs to be a bestseller. As careers advice experts AimCV explain, a professionally written CV can be the difference between getting that first interview, and potentially your dream job, and not hearing back.
While you may be tempted to include every little detail about you, your career up to date, and what makes you ideal for the role, there are some chapters you should steer clear of. We’ve outlined the things you don’t need to mention, which will leave you with more room for the stuff that really matters.
Irrelevant work experience takes up valuable space
When it comes to writing a CV, some people make the mistake of listing every job position they’ve held in the past. This is unnecessary and can take up valuable space. Rather than starting from the part-time retail job you had through college, make sure the experience you include first is relevant to the role you’re applying for. If a job advert requests 5 years’ of experience, then include the past 5 years of your career, ensuring that each job has some relevance to the role.
If you’re writing your CV for the first time and have limited experience, take the time to flesh out any part-time work you have completed. Freelance work, internships, and even volunteering can help boost your CV, provided you can link the skills you used in these roles to the skills required in the role you’re applying for. But remember—don’t include work just for the sake of it.
Personal information can lead to prejudice
You should refrain from including your age on CV, as well as anything that could give your age away like graduation years. Unfortunately ageism is still rife in the workplace, so when applying for jobs it’s best to skip this out altogether and let your experience do the talking.
For many years it was the norm to include home addresses on CVs. However, this was only relevant when you applied via mail. Now everything is done over email, eliminating the need for a home address. Including your home address may even work against you. For instance, recruiters could take your commute into consideration when shortlisting candidates—if you’re up against someone who lives closer, it could give them the edge over you.
As you will be communicating via email, you should make sure you have a simple email address, with a reputable provider. Most recruiters recommend having a Gmail account, as this can be synced with Google Drive if the company works within the cloud. It also goes without saying that you should avoid using any corny email addresses you created when you were 14. Your EmoPrincess93 and Super_Ninja profiles will not be looked upon favourably by recruiters.
Make hobbies relevant or get rid
Many CV templates include an area where you can discuss your hobbies and interests. Yes, it gives you an opportunity to add a little personality to your CV, but is a love of dog walking or passion for cooking going to be the deciding factor that lands you the role? Unlikely.
Rather than taking up valuable space on the page explaining how you like to spend your free time, keep it professional and specific to the job role. Get creative with how you sell yourself if you want your personality to shine through. For example, if the job requires international awareness, a relevant addition to the CV could be that you’re an avid traveller that enjoys becoming immersed in different cultures and languages.
Keep everything to the point and avoid exaggerating
Exaggerating your CV doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve given yourself an advantage. Most recruiters can tell when something has been embellished, and when someone has downright lied when it comes to their experience and job roles. Hiring managers will also be able to catch you out, by simply asking a few questions and seeing what does and doesn’t add up. Honesty is your friend, and even if you don’t have all the required skills, a recruiter may still consider you to be a good fit in the company.
You should avoid using over-elaborate language in an attempt impress the hiring manager. Recruiters want to spend as little time as possible scanning through a stack of applications, so keeping it simple and easy to read allows them to quickly see your skills and experience.
