It would be an exaggeration to say that your job application/CV needs to be spot on, but not much of one. The job market is stiff. When you go for an opening, you may be up against dozens of candidates. The last thing you want to do is get removed from consideration because your CV isn’t up to snuff.
Truth is, when it comes to reviewing applications and determining who will be selected for interviews, what you leave off can be just as important as what you include. Remember that once a hiring authority sees information that is embarrassing or damaging, they cannot unlearn that. Before you submit your application/CV for a new position, make sure you’ve left off these four things.
1. Meaningless Objective Statements
Some people say that objective statements are outdated and pointless. Others say that they are necessary to bring the elements of your resume together. They are both right.
Take a look at the rest of your resume content. Does your education, skill set, and career history make your career path and goals clear? If they do, you might even be able to ditch your objective statement altogether. For teachers, they are worthwhile if you are looking to change specialties, take on a pastoral or after-school role or want to highlight your ambitions for leadership.
2. Too Much Personal Information
While it is okay to list a few personal interests that highlight you as a well-rounded person, avoid going too much into your personal life. There’s already a lot of information to consider, adding information that isn’t relevant just clutters things.
Further, avoid including information that could be controversial or might put the hiring authority in an awkward position. This may range from activities that may make you seem a bit silly to religious associations or controversial political activities.
3. Lack of Qualification
While it may seem obvious to avoid highlighting any lack of knowledge, many people do this without really meaning to. The first thing you may want to do is double check your application for negative words such as, haven’t, cannot, don’t, did not” etc. and re-frame it as ‘working towards’ or ‘interested in developing my skills in…’
For example, in your schooling, don’t say ‘didn’t graduate’. Instead, say, ‘Will graduate in spring 2019.’ Don’t write ‘certification not obtained’. Say, ‘working towards certification’. Remember that at first glance, the person reading your application will be skimming it. If they see negatives that highlight a lack of qualification, they may discount it.
4. Outdated Information
If you’ve been working for a while, it may be time to trim some fat on your work experience. Take a look before you submit it for any positions. Do you still have job history that dates back to university? What about information that needs to be updated. For example, has there been any changes in contact information for previous employers? Have any businesses you’ve worked for shut down?
Conclusion
Keep in mind that by eliminating any potential negatives from your application or CV, you are better able to highlight the positives. You’ll also present a CV that is more pleasing to the reader.
Silvia Giltner is an HR manager and freelance writer at ResumesCentre.
About the author
Silvia Giltner
Silvia helps people to write the perfect CVs and land a desirable job. She is also an active guest contributor. Sylvia’s writing has been featured on Forbes, Next Avenue, TLNT and more.
