In this article we list the 9 most common and deadly mistakes that can possibly thwart
all of your job hunting efforts. Some of these mistakes may seem obvious, but you
won't believe how often we see them repeatedly in CVs over and over again.
Here is the list in no particular order:
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1. Spelling Mistakes
Needless to say, this is one of the most critical mistakes in any resume. It is amazing how many CVs that have spelling mistakes given the vast amount of free spell checkers.
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2. Target Position Not Clear
The employer needs to know what position you are applying for as soon as they look at your resume. If your target job is not clearly mentioned at the beginning of your resume, then there is a big chance that it will end up in the trash bin.
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3. Unfocused Resume / Unrelated Information
The resume needs to focus on your target job. Listing unrelated information is not going to help. Save the space for the important stuff.
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4. Incorrect Information Order
Order is very important. The most relevant information should be at the top. In some cases, putting education before experience is a good decision, while not always the case depending on your qualifications.
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5. Too Much Jargon
Most resumes get filtered by HR personnel before they reach the department heads. HR may not understand industry specific words and may mistakenly discard you even if you are qualified. Write your CV in a simple way that is understood by everyone. Remove technical stuff from the introduction.
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6. Including Hobbies and Interests
People attempt to make their resumes a little more personal by including their hobbies and interests. Don't do that. Keep it professional.
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7. Using a Generic Resume
Employers like to see customized CVs tailored specifically for the advertised position. Modify your resume to match the vacancy whenever possible.
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8. Heading It With "Curriculum Vitae"
They know it is a CV, why do you have to bold it and write it in huge capital letters?
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9. Mentioning Your Target Salary
Just don't that. You need to sell yourself to the employer and convince them that you are the best person for the job before you hint any salary figure.
