Looking for new job opportunities can be really exciting, yet it can equally prove to be quite an intimidating experience. If you’ve been hunting for work lately, you’ll know the exasperation of sending off applications, attending interviews, and completing assessments only to be met with silence or impersonal rejection emails from prospective employers.
The employment search process can feel dispiriting, but determination remains crucial if you’re resolved to land a new position. Nevertheless, if you continue facing rejection, it might be worth examining methods to enhance your applications.
A recruitment expert has disclosed the fundamental errors she frequently spots on job applications that firms utterly despise encountering. It appears countless repeated mistakes on CVs are putting off hiring managers from considering applicants.
Sophie, a Brit working at a company in Stockholm, used to be a recruiter – and drawing from her expertise, she has been offering guidance online to job seekers.
Sophie posted on TikTok, saying: “As a former recruiter, these are things I don’t want to see on your CV.”
Complete home address
Whilst it’s beneficial to mention the city or town where you live, Sophie stated it’s unnecessary to provide your full address on your CV.
She clarified: “I don’t need to know your street and what your house number is.”
Email addresses
We all recall setting up our first email address, often choosing a quirky name that reflects our personality, hobbies or nickname. However, this could deter potential employers.
Sophie advised: “Unprofessional email address like ‘littleowl@gmail.com’..”
If your current email address isn’t suitable, it might be wise to create a new one specifically for job applications.
Certain photographs
Many individuals opt to include a photograph of themselves on their CV. This may seem necessary, especially if you’re applying for roles in sales or customer-facing positions.
However, Sophie, as a recruiter, advises against including certain types of photos. “If you’re including a photo, I don’t want to see a selfie, I also don’t want to see you and your dog,” she remarked.
Indeed.com states: “While some people want to add a professional photo to their resume, the standard practice is to exclude this element. There are several benefits to not adding a photo to your resume, such as keeping your resume concise. Knowing when a resume picture is acceptable and reviewing expert tips for including one can help you protect yourself from unconscious bias and improve your job prospects.”
Personal details
Sophie firmly believes that there’s no need to include personal details on your CV – such as your relationship status or your hobbies.
Sophie, a career expert, has shared some valuable advice on CV writing. Discussing hobbies, she said: “Now this can depend a little bit based on what the company is that you’re applying to, but in general if you play tennis on the weekend, it doesn’t make a difference to the recruiter.”
Experience
On the topic of personal experience, Sophie advised against using the word ‘I’ on your CV as it’s implied. She suggested: “Instead, you want to start off with action verbs, such as spearheaded or consult[ed].”
She also highlighted a common mistake made by job seekers. Sophie stated: “Please don’t write references available upon request – the number of CV’s I’ve seen with this…I know I can request your references.”
Finally, Sophie emphasised the importance of demonstrating impact in previous roles, backed up with statistical evidence, rather than merely listing duties.
