Improve getting hired by removing these from your CV

When it comes to CV advice, most guidance focuses on what you should include: key achievements, relevant experience, and the right keywords – all used to catch a recruiter’s eye. While that advice is important, it only tells half the story. In reality, what you leave out of your CV can be just as cruicial as what you put in.

From our experience working with employers and reviewing countless applications, we regularly see strong candidates held back by avoidable mistakes. Whether it’s outdated information, too much information, unnecessary personal details, or common formatting pitfalls, these missteps can distract from an otherwise impressive profile.

In this guide, we’ll shift the focus and explore what to avoid on your CV to help you present a clearer, more compelling case to potential employers.

Let’s start off with:

 1. Photos

They risk unconscious bias (for example, age and sex) and adds absolutely nothing to your skills.  It also takes up valuable space for more relevant information. In modern ATS (Applicant Tracking System) systems, this shouldn’t pose a problem, but older systems could be confused with photos, leading it to be held up in the queue. So why risk it?

The same applies to adding embedded certifications. Listing your certifications is fine. You don’t need to insert an image on each page, turning your CV into a brochure. Again, this could mess up some ATS systems.

Most CV’s are cleaned up by recruitment agencies, such as removing photos and images, before they are sent to clients, so it’s pointless including them as the client (the decision maker) will never see them in most cases.

2. Confusing acronyms

Spell things out clearly and concisely. Recruiters are pretty clued up, but they won’t be able to guess what you mean, especially if it’s a critical or desired qualification that could be important to the role.

3. Irrelevant skills

Tailor your CV for each role and remove anything that won’t help you win the job. It takes up space and means nothing – saying you speak beginner French when applying for a German-based role is pointless.

Another example is the classic ‘Microsoft Suite proficient’ when applying for a specialised role like a Software Engineer or a Scientist – it’s taken for granted that you should be familiar with basic applications.

4. Walls of text

With the amount of CV’s that recruiters receive, they don’t have time ready every on from cover to cover, so having paragraphs of chunky text will make them glaze over.

Use bullet points instead and just include the main points. This makes it more readable and also more scannable for ATS systems.

5. Typos & grammar mistakes

Two simple rules of your CV – Rule 1. Spell check it. Rule 2. Spell check it again. One typo shows you haven’t taken your CV or the role seriously and is the first impression you make.

Proofread continuously and also get someone else to read it, as more often than not, a different pair of eyes will spot mistakes more easily

6. Very old work history

If you have a long career history, no-one cares what you were doing 20 years ago as an intern. Go back 10 years at the most, making the most salient points/highlights, while listing the rest or remove completely – it’s what you’ve done recently in the last few years that will matter the most and what recruiters look for.

If you have experience from way back that is pertinent to the role, then by all means include it.  

7. The objective statement

Yes, we know you are looking for a new role, that’s why you’ve applied for this one, so don’t make the statement about what you are looking for and what you want.

A strong objective must focus on what you can offer the company based on your experience.

8. Avoid clichés

“Hardworking”, “proactive”, “good communicator”, “team player” – we’ve all seen them, we all know them, so just avoid them. Instead, show them how you’re a ‘team player’ without saying you’re a ‘team player’ by describing it in your achievements.

9. Reasons for leaving

Really no need to include this unless you’re asked you during an interview. If there is a large career gap, such as bringing up family, travelling, illness, then it’s up to you if you wish to insert it.

10. Exaggerations or lies

Honesty should always come first as it’s too easy to be found out. If you’re a junior offshore technician, don’t make it sound like you were running the project – just stick to the facts. Over-embellishment can cost you the job.

EXTRAS!

• Full Mailing Address - Your city, province, and postal/zip code are enough. There are too many job scams out there to be sharing more personal information than necessary.
• Outdated or Unprofessional Email Address - If your email sounds like it belongs on MSN Messenger, like ‘MegaCheeseBurger835902@gmail.com’ it might be time for an update!
• References Available Upon Request / Listing Your References - This is already assumed and eats up valuable space for important information.

Summary

By following the guidance above, your CV should start to look more professional, concise, and more to the point, more relevant to recruiters and clients.

Avoiding common CV mistakes can make just as much difference as highlighting the right experience. By removing unnecessary details, outdated information, and distracting errors, you give your application the best chance to stand out for the right reasons.

If your CV is now up to scratch, then why not upload it to our system and we’ll match it to our opportunities – Upload your CV here.

Similarly, create jobs alerts tailored to you, and apply when the job you want arrives - register here.

Good luck!