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Things to leave off your CV
Things to leave off the CV
As your CV forms the basis for your interview you should ensure that it only contains positive information.
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1. Salary
This is a risky thing to include – too high or too low and you could rule yourself out. If you need to give a salary requirement, simply write negotiable.
2. Reasons for leaving
There is no point in stating the reasons that you left previous jobs. You need to use the valuable space on your CV to illustrate the qualities you can offer a prospective employer. Besides, issues like this are best discussed at interview.
3. Technical Jargon
You need to ensure the reader is not put off by the CV – making it simpler to read and avoiding jargon and abbreviations should achieve this. Only use abbreviations if you are confident the reader will understand them i.e. Ltd. and P&L.
4. References
Your CV is an introduction to a company and references are generally taken out much further down the interview process at offer stage. Recruiters and employers would expect that you can provide references so it doesn’t need to be said. Most importantly there are some unscrupulous recruiters who might contact your referees without your permission or for jobs that you aren’t interested in.
5. Race and Religion
Legislation prohibits discrimination on these grounds in many countries. Nevertheless it is better to leave out these areas in your CV. The fact that legislation was needed to combat these forms of discrimination shows that it must have been a major problem.
6. Photographs
Don’t include a photograph unless specifically requested to do so. Careers in modelling/acting etc may request one. Applications to foreign countries e.g. The Middle East also expect a photo. If you have to include one make sure it conveys a professional image – not a holiday snap!
7. Exaggerations
You must remain truthful and stick to the facts. It is a dismissible offence to lie on your CV. There should be no attempt to deceive the employer by mentioning skills that you do not have. You may be exposed at interview and then the credibility of the whole CV is thrown into question.
8. Weaknesses
There is no need to mention any failed exams or lack of qualifications. You need to concentrate on the positives in your CV. You need to sell the experience you have, not the experience you lack. Any possible weaknesses can be discussed at interview, where you should anticipate probing questions and provide a good response.
9. Curriculum Vitae
It’s rather an old fashioned way of titling the document. Just start with name.
10. Date of Birth
The Age Discrimination Act prevents employers asking for your Date of Birth on application forms. iProfile ran an experiment to highlight just how unaware, and therefore vulnerable, the public are to the possibility of CV fraud.
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