Monday, December 7, 2009

Ten more things to leave out of your CV

1. Lists of publications

If you're a scientist or academic, include these only if they are asked for. However, significant publications may be included as achievements.

2. Very personal information

Don't include your age (although your date of birth is OK), 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 abbreviations recognised industry-wide.

4. Poor photocopies

Always use good original laser prints. Poor quality copies suggest you're sending the CV out to lots of companies because you're desperate.

5. Mistakes and typos

Always check your CV for incorrect spellings and 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 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 gap year travel history, 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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