Five reasons why your CV could be stopping you from getting the Interview!

1. Not tailoring your CV

The worst thing to do is to send a CV saying you are looking to work in a specific industry or role to a job that is completely outside of this. It shows the recruiter or employer that you have not taken the time to consider the position and they could question your commitment.

Make sure that you do your research to find out exactly what your desired employers are looking for, then make sure that you are making those requirements prominent on your CV.

Relevant job adverts and company websites are good places to start when researching the requirements for your target roles.

2. Unproven Claims

How many times have we seen the term “the best salesman in the industry” on a CV.

These wild claims, often clichés, with no backing and fail to provide an employer with a clear understanding of your achievements.  

Use facts and real examples of your success to prove your value to employers whilst remaining humble.

3. Lack of Keywords

Every Recruiter will source candidates through job boards, the search results will show recruiters candidates based on the keywords that they are searching and the relevancy in their CV.

So, if you are looking for a specific role however your CV does not contain any of the desirable job titles or skills that a Recruiter would look for then you won’t appear in the search results.

Make sure once you have researched the roles that you are applying for that you add these into your CV BUT be careful not to swamp the CV with them to the point that it does not flow naturally.

4. Reasons for Leaving

Recruiters don’t need to see the reasons you left for every job on your CV. Your CV should be solely focused on attracting employers by selling your talents.

You will need to convey your reason for leaving your current role and joining a new employer, but this is communicated more effectively when it is done verbally as you can draw out more empathy from the Employer.

5. Not including enough detail in current role

Your current (or most recent) role, is one of the most important factors in your CV.

After giving your CV a quick scan, most recruiters will jump straight to your current role and study it in some detail. The reason for this is that your current role gives recruiters the greatest indication of what you’re currently capable of.

You may be in a rush to get your CV out there but remember you could be missing some key skills and experience that you would have gained in that role.

Remember when writing or updating your CV, dedicate some time and effort into it, it will pay off in the long run.