How to dodge the pitfalls of writing a CV?

How to dodge the pitfalls of writing a CV?

Writing your CV is a much more challenging task than you would actually expect before you start putting it together. The challenge is not about things you do not need to include. It is more about things you should include and making them presentable.

When you try to look out for information about CV writing on Internet, your search will get you thousands of results which tell you how important people consider it to write a good CV and how they struggle at it.

No one other than you in the world can write you a better CV. The only need is to pay attention to small, most common mistakes and avoiding them.

This article is an attempt to help you dodge these pitfalls while you write the most important document of your career.

1. CV or Curriculum Vitae at the top

You don’t need to mention CV or Curriculum Vitae on the top. Some people might argue, how would recruiters know that it’s a CV until you give it a heading? This can be explained with a simple example. Do you see "Newspaper" written as the heading of your daily newspaper? No, still as soon as you see a newspaper, you know what it is. Similarly when recruiters see a CV, they know well that it’s a CV.

2. Flashy fonts and images

CV is a formal document. Avoid making it glamorous with flashy fonts and images. These might be helpful only if you are applying for a creative position with some magazine, publisher or advertising company.

3. Explaining gap in employment

CV is not the place to explain the gap you have in your employment. If you have a gap in your employment, focus your CV more on your experience and achievements rather than where you have been for how long. Such things can be better explained in the personal meeting with interviewer.

4. Contact information

Provide your contact information a prime estate on your CV as this is the first thing your prospective employer will look for immediately as they like your CV. Provide a phone number where you are reachable rather than providing the contact details of your parents. Employers want to speak to you and this immature action may cost you the opportunity.

5. Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors

Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors reflect badly on you. They show your insincerity towards your job hunt and the most important document of your career. Read your CV well after you are done writing it. May be make some of your friends read it before you start sending it out to people.

6. Faking around

Do not tell lies about your experience or qualification in your CV. If these things are caught at a later stage, they might cost you the job.

7. Using jargons and abbreviations

The CVs are screened by people from HR department who do not know the abbreviations and jargons used in every industry. So, try to avoid using jargons and abbreviations in your CV as it might mean that if the HR people do not understand them, you miss an interview call.

8. Irrelevant details

Including details like Father’s name, sex, expected salary, passport number are certain things which will occupy the space without adding much value to your candidature. Provide them when asked or if the position demands.

Now as you have read this article, you know the most common pitfalls which can your CV dumped. Try avoiding them and you will have fair chances of getting interview calls.