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Re: Biggest CV And Resume Blunders Made By Job Seekers And How To Avoid Them by bosunjohns(m): 5:51pm On Feb 18, 2015 |
post=30844037: Your resume is the first opportunity you get to make an impression on a potential employer. It is also the most crucial one. So, all job seekers must use it to the best of their capabilities. Make sure you try to avoid mistakes that can send your resume straight to the trash bin. The following are the most common mistakes job seekers make while creating their CVs. These mistakes often become the reason for candidates to get rejected.
1. Exaggerating Achievements and Fibbing
Stay honest when you are talking about your work history, skills and achievements. Amplifying these may come back at you when the recruiter runs a background check or wants you to do a certain task that you fibbed about. It takes very little time for the HR professionals to find out the truth. So stop bragging about things you don’t know or are aren’t experienced with as this may be the first and the last time you communicate with this company. Stick to facts that can be validated.
2. Mentioning Non-Contextual Work Experience and Hobbies
Only highlight work experience that is relevant for the profile in question. If you are seeking a graphic designing job, do not mention your stint as a ski instructor from five
years ago. It may convey a message that you do not hold adequate relevant experience. Stay focused on the profile you are applying to and site past duties that can prove useful for the role in hand.
3. Self-Praise Without Quantified Proof
If your resume’s professional summary starts with “A dedicated professional…,’ the recruiters will lose interest and you lose credibility. Applicants must establish objective facts with the presence of figures, and not just boring clichés. The key is not to say it, but show it. Quantify professional achievements, for instance if you have enhanced client retention by 20% over the last one year, say so explicitly, rather than plainly saying you have excelled as a sales professional.
4. Over-The-Top Beautification
Your resume document must be light and quick to open. Use a font style that is common and do not add heavy images as that can make the file heavy. Using photographs is irrelevant, unless you are an actor or model. They also irk the recruiters because they unnecessarily consume extra ink and take away the focus from your skills. Also, stop designing the CV with borders otherwise a part of it may get cropped when it is printed. Keep it simple yet smart.
5. Using Different Job Titles
Make sure you use job titles that are common and widely-used. These must also be searchable as applicant tracking systems use them as keywords to screen several CVs. Complex words and flowery language may cause the ATS to forego some important information that could have otherwise been useful for your candidature. Even if your resume is in the hands of a human recruiter, uncommon words and unique phrases can alienate you and your application.
6. Generalizing the Content of the CV
As a job seeker, you cannot afford to have a fixed resume that works for all employers. Your CV must be customized each time you wish to apply to a new company. When you find an opening, take some time to carefully read the job description and then edit and personalize your CV before sending it out. You must also visit the company website to get a better idea of their line of businesses and requirements. And double-check the document so that you don’t mistakenly send the CV for Company A to Company B. You can name all resume versions differently.
7. Non-Serious Email Address
Always make sure the email address you use to mail your resume appears non-casual. It must not have numbers or adjectives, else it may seem like you lack professionalism. An address like sarah.cook@gmail.com is way better than coolestengineer@yahoo.com . Whether it is IT or media, a professional-looking ID can help you score more job interviews. If you don’t have such an account, make sure you make one before mailing the resume.
8. Typos and Grammatical Errors
Spelling mistakes can seem highly unprofessional. So make sure you do not make any typos or grammatical mistakes as this can hamper your chances of landing an interview. Also, avoid writing slang or SMS lingo. Shortcuts like ‘ur’ and ‘b4’ can cause trouble.
Hope the above points can warn you against some major blunders and help improve your resume. Happy job hunting!
http://blog.ngcareers.com/3300/biggest-cv-and-resume-blunders-made-by-job-seekers-and-how-to-avoid-them/ |
Re: Biggest CV And Resume Blunders Made By Job Seekers And How To Avoid Them by Vickbay: 5:56pm On Feb 18, 2015 |
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Re: Biggest CV And Resume Blunders Made By Job Seekers And How To Avoid Them by lastmessenger: 5:57pm On Feb 18, 2015 |
If the job is yours, all these things becomes irrelevant.please don't quote mel |
Re: Biggest CV And Resume Blunders Made By Job Seekers And How To Avoid Them by delors(m): 6:01pm On Feb 18, 2015 |
post=30844037: Your resume is the first opportunity you get to make an impression on a potential employer. It is also the most crucial one. So, all job seekers must use it to the best of their capabilities. Make sure you try to avoid mistakes that can send your resume straight to the trash bin. The following are the most common mistakes job seekers make while creating their CVs. These mistakes often become the reason for candidates to get rejected.
1. Exaggerating Achievements and Fibbing
Stay honest when you are talking about your work history, skills and achievements. Amplifying these may come back at you when the recruiter runs a background check or wants you to do a certain task that you fibbed about. It takes very little time for the HR professionals to find out the truth. So stop bragging about things you don’t know or are aren’t experienced with as this may be the first and the last time you communicate with this company. Stick to facts that can be validated.
2. Mentioning Non-Contextual Work Experience and Hobbies
Only highlight work experience that is relevant for the profile in question. If you are seeking a graphic designing job, do not mention your stint as a ski instructor from five
years ago. It may convey a message that you do not hold adequate relevant experience. Stay focused on the profile you are applying to and site past duties that can prove useful for the role in hand.
3. Self-Praise Without Quantified Proof
If your resume’s professional summary starts with “A dedicated professional…,’ the recruiters will lose interest and you lose credibility. Applicants must establish objective facts with the presence of figures, and not just boring clichés. The key is not to say it, but show it. Quantify professional achievements, for instance if you have enhanced client retention by 20% over the last one year, say so explicitly, rather than plainly saying you have excelled as a sales professional.
4. Over-The-Top Beautification
Your resume document must be light and quick to open. Use a font style that is common and do not add heavy images as that can make the file heavy. Using photographs is irrelevant, unless you are an actor or model. They also irk the recruiters because they unnecessarily consume extra ink and take away the focus from your skills. Also, stop designing the CV with borders otherwise a part of it may get cropped when it is printed. Keep it simple yet smart.
5. Using Different Job Titles
Make sure you use job titles that are common and widely-used. These must also be searchable as applicant tracking systems use them as keywords to screen several CVs. Complex words and flowery language may cause the ATS to forego some important information that could have otherwise been useful for your candidature. Even if your resume is in the hands of a human recruiter, uncommon words and unique phrases can alienate you and your application.
6. Generalizing the Content of the CV
As a job seeker, you cannot afford to have a fixed resume that works for all employers. Your CV must be customized each time you wish to apply to a new company. When you find an opening, take some time to carefully read the job description and then edit and personalize your CV before sending it out. You must also visit the company website to get a better idea of their line of businesses and requirements. And double-check the document so that you don’t mistakenly send the CV for Company A to Company B. You can name all resume versions differently.
7. Non-Serious Email Address
Always make sure the email address you use to mail your resume appears non-casual. It must not have numbers or adjectives, else it may seem like you lack professionalism. An address like sarah.cook@gmail.com is way better than coolestengineer@yahoo.com . Whether it is IT or media, a professional-looking ID can help you score more job interviews. If you don’t have such an account, make sure you make one before mailing the resume.
8. Typos and Grammatical Errors
Spelling mistakes can seem highly unprofessional. So make sure you do not make any typos or grammatical mistakes as this can hamper your chances of landing an interview. Also, avoid writing slang or SMS lingo. Shortcuts like ‘ur’ and ‘b4’ can cause trouble.
Hope the above points can warn you against some major blunders and help improve your resume. Happy job hunting!
http://blog.ngcareers.com/3300/biggest-cv-and-resume-blunders-made-by-job-seekers-and-how-to-avoid-them/ Good info but largely insufficient. The points you raise are inadequately captured by the bogus title. For instance, one major blunder of CVs & resumes is mechanical accuracy (grammatical OMG). That's a number one put off factor fir any potential employer. Spelling errors, clumsy sentences, vague expressions, thunderous gbagauns, are just enuff to collapse your employment chances. |
Re: Biggest CV And Resume Blunders Made By Job Seekers And How To Avoid Them by Funkychic(f): 6:09pm On Feb 18, 2015 |
Nice one Op. but wait make I graduate first, and I will be conscious of all these, I promise! 1 Like |
Re: Biggest CV And Resume Blunders Made By Job Seekers And How To Avoid Them by njuwo(m): 6:13pm On Feb 18, 2015 |
prelinctus:
Did you have to quote all that? Yes, i had to, to emphasize on it, any problem? |
Re: Biggest CV And Resume Blunders Made By Job Seekers And How To Avoid Them by UnimkeAk(m): 6:55pm On Feb 18, 2015 |
Guilty of No;6
I think u should do whatever u can on ur resume, exaggerate, lie to get ursef an interview.
Aslong as u can defend what's on ur resume. Ur good. |
Re: Biggest CV And Resume Blunders Made By Job Seekers And How To Avoid Them by candyboy244(m): 7:00pm On Feb 18, 2015 |
This is the kind of topics I wish to see anytime I come on nairaland.....thanks OP. |
Re: Biggest CV And Resume Blunders Made By Job Seekers And How To Avoid Them by Nobody: 7:08pm On Feb 18, 2015 |
Thanks OP. |
Re: Biggest CV And Resume Blunders Made By Job Seekers And How To Avoid Them by jezsie: 7:37pm On Feb 18, 2015 |
umm... |
Re: Biggest CV And Resume Blunders Made By Job Seekers And How To Avoid Them by dam007(m): 8:01pm On Feb 18, 2015 |
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Re: Biggest CV And Resume Blunders Made By Job Seekers And How To Avoid Them by Missmossy(f): 8:23pm On Feb 18, 2015 |
I really agree with all of these Whats even the essence of claiming achievements that won't promote your chances of being employed. Humility pays, you would even get to wow those you work with. |
Re: Biggest CV And Resume Blunders Made By Job Seekers And How To Avoid Them by Sajio(m): 9:31pm On Feb 18, 2015 |
quiet educating..... A big thanks!! so Applicants, open ur eyes oo. |
Re: Biggest CV And Resume Blunders Made By Job Seekers And How To Avoid Them by GentleFrank(m): 9:54pm On Feb 18, 2015 |
That is why getting well-paid white collar jobs will continue to be a herculean task for many Nigerians. Start a lucrative business today with little capital and make a lot of money. Read hundreds of free profitable business ideas at www.BusinessParrot..com !!! |
Re: Biggest CV And Resume Blunders Made By Job Seekers And How To Avoid Them by kennyok(m): 10:14pm On Feb 18, 2015 |
thanks for the information ..noted |
Re: Biggest CV And Resume Blunders Made By Job Seekers And How To Avoid Them by scarletdp(m): 10:43pm On Feb 18, 2015 |
GentleFrank: That is why getting well-paid white collar jobs will continue to be a herculean task for many Nigerians. Start a lucrative business today with little capital and make a lot of money. Read hundreds of free profitable business ideas at www.BusinessParrot..com !!! Let me guess.. you have a lucrative business? |
Re: Biggest CV And Resume Blunders Made By Job Seekers And How To Avoid Them by lonelydora: 5:55am On Feb 19, 2015 |
Oildichotomy: I agree with the other ones BUT No 1
Add a little bit of spice and embellishment to your CV to scale through as regards your job functions and roles. It works like magic
Fake it till you have it --- Just be ready to back it up when the interview presents itself
Besides, There is NO clear cut CV rule enacted by employers association or whatnot that all job-seekers should live by. Different strokes resume for different folks employers
I think the op is still a learner. As long as I can defend it, I will fake it 100% percent. I'm talking from experience shaa, when i was still hustling. |
Re: Biggest CV And Resume Blunders Made By Job Seekers And How To Avoid Them by Nobody: 9:37am On Feb 19, 2015 |
if your papa dey anywhere close to aso rock, you don't need any resume to get an appointment letter... I dey lie |
Re: Biggest CV And Resume Blunders Made By Job Seekers And How To Avoid Them by dekins: 1:48pm On Feb 19, 2015 |
silverdam: Abegi, its all God and Connection... I don't believe in perfect CV. A beautiful friend of mine who has horrible and typo errors in her CV got a job while me with perfect still find it hard to secure ordinary interview. Me and this my friend both went for this interview ooo but she was given the job.
Everything is not all about perfect CV jare, its God, connection, pleasure and luck to get good jobs in Nigeria. Believe it or not: you can't rule out a good CV |
Re: Biggest CV And Resume Blunders Made By Job Seekers And How To Avoid Them by longnose(m): 11:36pm On Jun 03, 2015 |
prelinctus: Forget all these things. If you know somebody that knows somebody that knows the Oga, they'll employ you first before asking you to bring your cv for documentation. I tells u |
Re: Biggest CV And Resume Blunders Made By Job Seekers And How To Avoid Them by whytepawn1(m): 6:02am On Jun 04, 2015 |
Shinelle: CV Cv Cv......
Give me jooooobbbbbbbbbbbb!
Lolzz...BTW,nnpc has started contacting people Shinelle : CV Cv Cv...... Give me jooooobbbbbbbbbbbb! Lolzz...BTW,nnpc has started contacting people Shinelle: CV Cv Cv......
Give me jooooobbbbbbbbbbbb!
Lolzz...BTW,nnpc has started contacting people PLEASE PUT A QUESTION MARK AT THE END OF THAT STATEMENT. DON'T PUT US ON HIGH JUMP!!! |
Re: Biggest CV And Resume Blunders Made By Job Seekers And How To Avoid Them by Shinelle(f): 9:24pm On Jun 15, 2015 |
whytepawn1:
PLEASE PUT A QUESTION MARK AT THE END OF THAT STATEMENT. DON'T PUT US ON HIGH JUMP!!! Lol @ question mark! I posted that when ppl successful at the test were contacted |
Re: Biggest CV And Resume Blunders Made By Job Seekers And How To Avoid Them by ademasta(m): 8:29pm On Jun 22, 2015 |
Noted! |