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The Most Common CV Mistakes
When you decide to apply for a job, the first thing that instinctively comes to mind is to list all your experience in detail, without skimming, and above all, to gather as much material as possible to send your CV quickly, believing that this will give you a competitive advantage. In reality, writing a good CV requires following certain rules and being careful not to make some basic mistakes. To help you compile a perfect CV, we've listed the ten most common CV writing mistakes that can jeopardize even a good application. By carefully reading our advice, you can avoid making the same mistakes and land your dream job.
1. Don't proofread
Writing a CV doesn't mean throwing together information at random and, to hurry up and send it, not proofreading it, leaving it as it is after the first draft. A good CV can only be considered such if it has undergone several revisions and proofreadings. This is the only way to avoid spelling and grammatical errors, eliminate redundant information, and create a document that is enjoyable to read, fluent, and written in correct Italian. The same logic applies to CVs in foreign languages, considering that each language has its own specificities that must be respected.
2. Using too many clichés
Clichés are only appropriate if they serve the narrative: if you write about being a true leader, it's best to back up these statements with concrete examples, results achieved, and a methodology. Furthermore, clichés are only appropriate if used thoughtfully and without exaggeration: no one wants to find a CV full of clichés like "team player," "problem solver," "results-oriented," and so on. It's better to have fewer clichés and more practical examples to convey who you are and what you can do.
3. Providing Incorrect or Misleading Information
In the rush to prepare a document as complete and comprehensive as possible, it's not uncommon to make errors in judgment that can undermine an application. When we talk about "incorrect or misleading information," we mean any situation in which a specific work or educational experience is described in an unclear manner, potentially leading to misunderstandings. Let's take a practical example: writing that you worked at such-and-such a company and held Marketing positions can lead the reader to believe either that the candidate worked as a Marketing Manager or that they worked as a Marketing Assistant. Failure to specify the exact position provides incorrect and misleading information, which can lead to credibility issues.
4. Not Formatting the Document
A good CV should be formatted, without any ifs or buts. Formatting includes choosing the most appropriate font and its width, the margins at the sides and between the lines, and the use of italics and bold. Formatting also includes dividing text into paragraphs, using color to highlight specific passages, and so on. In any case, it's a crucial element for making a CV attractive, complete, and accurate.
5. Telling Lies
Lies have short legs, even when writing a CV. Especially black lies—those that relate to key aspects of a candidate's experience—must be avoided at all costs, both because they damage your reputation and could harm the company. In fact, if you lie about a skill you don't actually possess, there may come a time when the company really needs that skill, and the candidate who claimed to have it doesn't actually know how to address the problem. No lies are tolerated, but the most common, and often easy to spot, lies are those related to:
• Computer skills
• Language skills
• Job positions held.
6. Don't include important keywords
A good CV speaks to both humans and machines: more and more companies are using ATS (Applicant Tracking System) software that reads the CVs received for a given position and, based on the presence or absence of recognizable elements, decides who to pass on and who to reject. Recognizable elements (in addition to standard formatting) are keywords, which are words that can be extracted directly from the job description in the ad. Thanks to the presence of these words, the software identifies the candidate as a potentially interesting candidate for the company and profiles them in such a way that they can be passed on to the recruiters for an initial screening. Keywords are also used by human recruiters, who are increasingly faced with numerous applications and, to simplify their selection, quickly scan documents to find commonalities.
7. Don't include results, just a list of completed activities
A potentially interesting CV can be ruined by a work experience section, which too often is limited to a list of activities without substance. A very common mistake is to list everything you've done professionally without specifying the main results obtained and the success rate achieved. Sometimes, simply adding numbers and percentages is enough to make a resume interesting, otherwise it risks being boring.
8. Excessive length and information
A good CV is no more than two pages long: all the most important information should be condensed into these two pages, listed in a way that is accurate and coherent (if there are gaps in your professional experience, a properly created CV can explain them thanks to the other sections). This means avoiding adding information that isn't relevant to the position you're applying for, or information about past experience.
Let's take a concrete example: if you're applying for a job as a barista, it makes sense to include all your courses and experience in the field, even those acquired in the past. However, it makes no sense to include a photography course, even if recent, because it would add nothing to your CV and would unnecessarily lengthen it.
9. Not choosing the correct format for sending
Once reviewed and corrected, your CV should be saved in the correct format for sending. PDF format is preferable for a number of reasons, including the fact that it's more secure and can be read easily. If you don't choose the correct format for sending your CV, you risk it ending up in the recipient's spam folder or simply not getting the visibility it could. Never save your CV in formats other than PDF or Word (if you absolutely must send it in this format, for specific reasons or perhaps because it's required in the job posting), as no other format is acceptable.
10. Don't personalize your resume
Haste, as we've said many times, leads to bad advice, and most job applicants rush to submit their resumes immediately, making a huge mistake. For each job you apply for, you should create a different resume, highlighting the information required by the job posting, keywords, and all the information that gives the candidate the best chance of being selected. Indeed, good personalization allows you to bypass candidates with the same education and experience who, however, haven't provided information relevant to the job they're applying for.