9 common mistakes many applicants make

Sadly there are a number of things recruiters see time and time again. Listed below are 9 of the most common mistakes applicants make. Again this could mean the difference between making the shortlist and being rejected, so take a read and make sure it’s not you!

Mistake 1 – Not spell checking, incorrect grammar, or typos

You’ve just seen some examples. Sadly, such errors are very common. One of the most frequent I see is “Manger” instead of “Manager”. I have worked with hiring managers in the past who will discount a CV on poor content immediately, don’t let this be you. Check, check, and check again – perhaps ask someone else to proofread for you.

Mistake 2 – Humorous email addresses

These may be great for friends and family but consider the impression these may give to your prospective employer. Using your name is the best strategy, so avoid ones that may detract from your application. Here are a couple of random fictitious examples to illustrate the point. Hopefully, you get the idea – best to keep it professional!:

• ihatemondays
• winowayne@
• cutiepie@

Mistake 3 – Use of jargon

Many organisations have their own acronyms and jargon; however, these are only useful if you are staying with that organisation. If you are applying externally, acronyms and jargon may not be recognised and could mean you get overlooked if you haven’t made it clear. For example, with one industry I work, CSI means a customer satisfaction measure. However, in another industry, it represents something completely different. Check your CV/resume carefully to make sure the words you have used are neutral. Consider asking a friend who isn’t familiar with your industry to check it and highlight any words they are not familiar with.

Mistake 4 – Using the same CV/resume and cover letter for every application

However tempting this may be, make sure that you take some time to tailor to each application you make. If you are serious about wanting the role, then it’s worth a little bit of effort. I’d say the only exception here is if you are sending in speculative applications, and even then, you can do some research to tailor it accordingly. Aside from that, you should make sure your application clearly shows the recruiter how you meet their requirements. Many applicants DO NOT do this, therefore if you take a little bit of time and care over your application, that alone will make you stand out.

Mistake 5 – Generic phrases or lack of evidence to back up claims

These often appear in personal profiles where applicants will say they have “excellent communication skills” or are a “good team player” or “work well under pressure”. Statements like these don’t really provide the employer with any evidence as to what exactly you mean or how, therefore they are best replaced with specifics.

Mistake 6 – Poor layout

Font too small, cluttered content with very little white space can make it really hard for the recruiter to review. As you are trying to impress, make sure that yours is legible and looks good at a glance, with sufficient white space and clear section headings.

Mistake 7 – Hard to read or too long

As a guide, your CV should fit on 2 A4 pages. This doesn’t mean making the margins really small or reducing the font size as this will impact the point above. Remember your CV should headline your most relevant points to a prospective employer. You don’t need everything you have ever done on there.

Mistake 8 – Irrelevant detail

As mentioned, it really isn’t necessary to include everything you have ever done within your CV. Employers will pay the most attention to your most recent experience and generally anything over 10 years old is considered less relevant, therefore can either be summarised or removed.

Mistake 9 – Not including a cover letter

Yes it matters and again it should be tailored to the role. Remember recruiters will often see this before even looking at your CV, so make sure it well-written. Step 6 in this course will show you a tried and tested format.