A 2015 research found that the average boss looks at a CV for just three minutes while one in five make a decision on a candidate after perusing it for under a minute.
The research carried out by New College of the Humanities surveyed 2,000 people.
The study also found that while a quarter of candidates claim they have excellent written communication skills, many of them fall foul of using worn cliches in their CVs.
Below are the top 10 common mistakes job seekers make according to the study
1. Typos and grammatical errors
2. Overly casual tone
3. Use of jargons and cliches
4. A CV more than two pages in length
5. Snazzy borders and backgrounds
6. Writing in the third person
7. Inclusion of clip art or emojis
8. The use of cringeworthy quotes
9. Unprofessional email address
10. Unconventional font
In terms of worn out cliches, the study found that almost half of CVs typically state the person tends to ‘work well independently’ and a third say they are a ‘team player’.
Below are CV phrases likely to put recruiters off potential employees according to the study
1. Can work independently
2. Hard worker
3. Works well under pressure
4. Good communicator
5. Enthusiastic
6. Team player
7. Good listener
8. Excellent written communication skills
9. Proactive
10. Problem solver
These tips from the study would hopefully help you write a great CV.
Jake