1. Lists of publications
unless you are a scientist or academic, if asked for a list, then include these. However, significant publications may be included as achievements.
2. Very personal information
Don’t include your age, weight, height, health, sex, race or marital status. It’s irrelevant and some facts could be used in a discriminatory way.
3. Jargon and abbreviations
Avoid using any information that won’t be understood by someone outside your job or organisation. The exceptions to this are common abbreviations recognised industry-wide.
4. Poor photocopies
Always use good original laser prints. Poor quality copies suggest you’re not very keen, professional and that you are sending the CV out to lots of companies because you’re desperate.
5. Mistakes and Typos
Always check your CV for incorrect spellings, use spell check – it is there on your computer for a reason and also check factual errors. Then check it again. Then ask someone else to check it. Errors make you look careless and disorganised.
6. Excessive wordiness
This is a working document, so keep it interesting, factual and don’t go over the top with conversational descriptions.
7. Negatives
Don’t be apologetic over what you believe may be missing from your CV. Focus on your positive attributes.
8. Irrelevancies
Don’t include your working history of thirty years ago, previous managers’ names, the middle name that you never use, etc.
9. Cheap paper
If you post a printed copy of your CV or you take a copy of your CV to an interview make sure your CV is printed on good quality paper. This will make your application stand out and it costs very little to buy quality paper.
10. Exaggerations
Stick to the truth. You never know when misleading statements might backfire.
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Thanks,
Catherine
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