What Not To Put On Your CV

When preparing your CV for a new job, it’s not uncommon to think “What more can I add to my CV?”, but how often do you think about what you can remove in order to streamline your application and highlight what’s relevant.

 Some candidates are still abiding to the age old rule of “no more than two pages”, which is often adhered to by removing chunks of work history or a few years off your early career. Whilst it is important to keep focus on your most relevant experience, gaps are never advisable, as will only cause confusion, and can lead to your application being discounted before you get a chance to elaborate at interview stage.

Instead, please consider our top 5 tips on what NOT to include on that all important document. 

1. Career Objective CV’s do not require a prologue. Furthermore, the assumption is that your career objective is to secure the position to which you are applying. If you wish to elaborate on your specific relevance for the role, a cover letter, or relevant interview notes from your consultant, is infinitely more advisable. 

2. Personal Details It is not necessary, nor is it appropriate, to include details such as age, ethnicity, marital status or any other personal information that is not only irrelevant, but illegal for employers to consider in conjunction with your application. 

3. Social Media Links In a role that does not directly require an aptitude for the use of social media, these are irrelevant. CVs are only for highlighting your direct professional experience. It’s a lot easier to keep track of what’s on your two page document than the entire World Wide Web, and you don’t want that questionable photo from your best mate’s stag do popping up on the screen of your prospective boss. 

4. Untruths It may seem obvious, but it’s just not worth it. Factual discrepancies on CVs (job title, grades, and dates) can result in a job offer being withdrawn. Regarding the more general exaggerations of the truth, don’t forget that those interviewing you work in your industry, have the same connections, and are probably aware of the structure in your previous employers. Don’t take the risk. 

5. References Perhaps the most overused phrase in the CV-sphere, references have always been available on request. However, it is always advantageous to be up to date with who your referees are should they be requested, as some permanent offers will be dependent on their receipt, and they will always be essential prior to commencing a temporary assignment. 

Your consultant can always offer you advice on each individual client’s preferred CV format, and can provide support and information on further ways in which you can strengthen your application. In the meantime, keep your CV clean, truthful and precise, and you are one step closer to meeting them at interview, where you can add all of the sparkle in person.