Common CV Mistakes

cv-times-new-roman.pngJust about everybody uses Times New Roman. It's the default for Microsoft Word, and although it's perfectly serviceable as a typeface, there are better choices. Perhaps as someone with graphic design and typography training, I'm biased - but steering clear of the default is always a good way to make your CV more distinctive.

I'd stick to serifed typefaces for most purposes - there is a wealth of professional looking, readable faces suitable for using in a CV. Classics such as Garamond or Caslon are good, but delve into your font collection and suit what suits your needs and image best.


cv-12-pages.pngLong CVs, along with the closely related CVs-set-in-a-6pt-font, are not the best way to present yourself, even if you do have a massive repertoire of skills. If a CV is too long, you can pretty much guarantee it won't be read - 2 pages is the standard allowance, and works just fine for most people. If you find yourself slipping into smaller font sizes to make it fit, or you are considering going to three pages (or beyond) - you might want to cut out some of the content.

cv-decorated.pngThere's nothing wrong with a well presented CV - sometimes tasteful improvements to an otherwise standard CV can be effective. But don't be tempted to embellish needlessly - black and white is fine for CVs, so there's no need to incorporate coloured headings or - worse still - word art!

cv-18pt-font.pngBig fonts are a fairly clear indicator of a lack of CV content. For a recruiter who's sifting through CVs set in 11pt Times New Roman all day, anything set in 15pt or higher will appear huge - and light on content if there's only one or two pages. Usually the problem is including too much irrelevant information, but if you're struggling to fill two pages it may be better to go to a single page - or incorporate some additional relevant skills, experience or education you may have forgotten about.

cv-spelling-errors.pngFew things put off potential employers more than someone who claims to have 'excellent language skills' and 'an eye for detail', while the CV is riddled with errors. It's not hard to double check two sheets of paper for any errors - a 5 minute proof read may pick up a couple of glaring errors and ensure your first impression is a good one.

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