Most annoying CVs employers get...

The first impression is the last impression, and if you are applying for a job, your CV is perhaps your best chance to impress those who will chart out your career. If this impression isn't up to scratch, it will be your last shot with the hiring managers and they will simply trash your future in the bin under the desk.

Making a good CV requires good command over the language it is written in, and a high level of accuracy and precision to make it near perfect. There are so many paid and free services that can help in making a good CV yet many candidates falter and some badly on these two sheets of paper that are vital to securing a job.

“Some candidates cannot distinguish between a formal and casual style. I got one and it seemed that the candidate was better suited to be a part of a rock band than an executive in retail banking. And we get such CVs regularly,” said the HR manager of a multinational bank on the condition of anonymity, adding that such CVs are trashed “as they [such candidates] come out as lost souls to us,” he added.

Many things/details can make a CV annoying, but here is a list of the most prominent flaws that can leave the employer irritable.

#1 What you say makes no sense

A poorly worded CV – with spelling mistakes and inconsistencies – is of course the first and the biggest crime and makes it annoying to read.

Grammatical errors are also an absolute no-no. “One pet peeve of recruiters is that candidates who have spelling mistakes in the subject or the body of an e-mail/CV and the other is lack of attention to detail. It may not appear to be important, but it creates an impression. Double/triple check your spellings before you send out an e-mail. Have someone else read it. Look for inconsistencies - dates, numbers, tank instead of thank,” as Ash Athawale, Recruitment Manager at Reed Specialist Recruitment recently told this website.

Make sure that your CV is accurate and consistent. “This is one pre-employment trait that is disliked a lot. Employers like to see consistency in the CV. Consistency in terms of industries, consistency in duration of employment, roles, titles etc,” he added.

#2 CV photo out of the holiday album

You really don’t need to put a photo on your CV but some make their CV an extension of their Facebook page. Do not display your joy of sharing photos via a CV. Moreover, the employer may make an impression of you just by looking at your photo.

People make the mistake of judging a book by its cover so avoid falling into this trap. Don’t put your photo on your CV unless requested.

#3 Unnecessary creativity

You have to be precise and accurate in what you say and don’t have to go overboard with your creativity. Using different formats, italics, underlining and the unnecessary strokes are not required.

You may have a colourful and creative bent of mind, but if you reflect this on your CV, it will only become annoying.

The employer may get the idea that you have copied it from the Web without bothering to format it and needless to say you will not be considered for the job.

#4 And, that’s how it started…

You CV needs to be precise with all the necessary information in clear bullet points. It’s not a window to your personal life, your achievements and trials. Leave your Hemingway traits for a later stage.

As of now concentrate on what needs to be told and shared, get the job and then go on to become a successful person for someone else to make a biopic of your life.

#5 Words that can be annoying

There are many words and phrases that can be considered annoying. Monster.com, a job portal points out that “most resumes are a thicket of deadwood words and phrases - empty cliches, annoying jargon and recycled buzzwords. Recruiters, HR folks and hiring managers see these terms over and over again, and it makes them sad,” the job portal says to career seekers.

The experts at the portal suggest avoiding phrases such as salary negotiable, references available by request, responsible for ­­­­____, experience working in ____, problem-solving skills, detail-oriented, hardworking and being a team player.

These phrases are beaten to death and nearly all CVs are full of such details. “It’s like mass production in China and is annoying,” says an HR executive.

Get creative. Think of fresh words to describe yourself and your work. If you want to get the job you have to be different from the other applicants and let that reflect in your CV. Remember, it still is an employer’s market and there are hundreds of applicants fighting for one job. So, what are your chances?

Image from shutterstock

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