Recruiters receive hundreds of applications for each job vacancy posted, which means they spend less than a minute looking at a CV. To maximise your chances and get through this stage of the recruitment process successfully, we have identified 10 common mistakes to avoid at all costs before sending in your application.

Mistake No. 1: forgetting to enter your e-mail address and telephone number

For 64% of candidates, not receiving a response is the main cause of a bad recruitment experience (Candidate Experience Barometer 2022). Unfortunately, some people forget to include their e-mail address and telephone number, or make a mistake when entering their contact details.

In this situation, even if the CV is interesting, the recruiter is not going to play detective trying to track you down. Similarly, with ATS (recruitment software), the information on a CV is extracted automatically. An empty ‘contact’ section could be detrimental to your application.

Don’t forget to put your e-mail address and telephone number at the top of your CV so they are visible. If these details are small and at the bottom of the page, the recruiter is likely to miss them.

Mistake No. 2: making your CV too long (more than one page)

Including as much detail as possible about your career, skills and projects on your CV is one way of showing the recruiter that you are a good candidate. However, that’s not what recruiters think, because, don’t forget they receive hundreds of CVs. On the other hand, a two-page CV suggests that you don’t know how to summarise your experience or select the essential information relevant to the post to be filled.

To make it easier to read, we recommend you stick to one page. So take the time to filter the information and only include elements (results, skills, tasks) that are useful for the recruiter to assess the relevance of your profile in terms of the company and the job. You’ll have plenty of time to go into more detail about your background and to say more at the job interview.

Mistake No. 3: a CV containing spelling mistakes

A typo may arouse the recruiter’s interest, and he or she may even pause to consider this minor error. But a CV with multiple spelling mistakes is a definite turn-off, as a study by the University of Toulon revealed in 2016: a candidate with with the same skills but a CV containing spelling mistakes is three times more likely to be rejected. This mistake is often viewed as a lack of seriousness and precision.

So remember to proofread your CV yourself and also have someone else proofread your CV before sending it off. It would be a shame to miss out on a great job because of such a small mistake!

Mistake No. 4: a CV without any results/figures

A CV that specifies the results achieved in previous jobs is always more convincing than one that only lists the tasks carried out. That’s why we advise you to illustrate your successes and projects using figures.

Examples: a 50% increase in the number of customers in one year / a 15% reduction in staff turnover in 6 months.

Mistake no. 5: a CV that isn’t specific enough

When detailing your experience, it’s important to be precise. The recruiter needs to be able to have an idea of your responsibilities. Instead of ‘managing a team of developers’, say ‘managing 5 developers’.

Another example: Instead of ‘managing litigation files’, specify ‘managing 10 litigation files [specify the amount]’.

Mistake No. 6: a CV with an unexplained gap

It’s tempting not to mention a career break in your CV for fear of it being perceived unfavourably. But that’s a mistake. Recruiters and HR people are human beings with a private life involving changes and ups and downs. It means they are perfectly capable of understanding the reason for your career break.

If you had a career break of at least 6 months, we recommend that you mention it and explain why: going back to studying, training, retraining, parental leave, supporting a sick relative, travelling abroad, etc. Your personal experiences have taught you things about yourself and enabled you to develop new knowledge and skills. So present them in a positive light.

For example: being on parental leave gives you the chance to work on your organisational skills, emotional management, communication, budget management and conflict management. Skills that may be necessary to succeed in the job on offer.

Mistake No. 7: choosing an unprofessional photograph

Including a photograph on your CV is not compulsory. But if you do choose to add one, make sure you choose it carefully. Avoid selfies of yourself hiking, photographs where you can see another person’s hand or face, Tinder portraits, etc. These shots can give a sloppy, not very serious impression which could have an adverse effect on your application.

You may find this value judgement unfounded, given the recruiter has to assess you on the basis of your professional experience, skills and motivation. But don’t forget that you only have a few seconds to make a good impression! Choose a photograph of yourself smiling but looking professional.

Mistake No. 8: a CV containing too much technical jargon

It goes without saying that your CV should include certain keywords specific to your profession, such as the software you have mastered or the techniques you use. However, be careful not to overwhelm the recruiter with overly technical terms. Add them sparingly, in the right place and accompany them with words that are accessible to the uninitiated so that the recruiter can effectively assess your application.

Example: improved performance (loading time, bounce rate, etc.) of [specify the %] and the UX of & acquisition funnels [specify the result].

Mistake No. 9: specifying ‘fluent in English’

Is fluency in a foreign language a prerequisite or an ‘asset’ for getting the job? If so, make sure you use the right terms to give the recruiter a clear idea of your language proficiency. Formulas such as ‘read, write, speak’ or ‘fluent in English’ are not based on any common, validated reference, which means they are open to different interpretations.

To enable the recruiter to assess your level, it is advisable to use the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), which sets out 6 levels presented in 3 categories: A = basic, B = intermediate, C = proficient. And to find out your level, you can take tests such as the TOEIC which measures your ability to work in English.

Mistake No. 10: assessing your own skills

Some people present their skills in the form of ratings or diagrams. However, giving yourself ‘4 out of 5 stars’ in Photoshop or ‘emotional management’ does not give the recruiter an objective opinion of the level of your skill. It’s better to mention the technical skills and soft skills you possess without assessing them yourself. The subsequent steps in the recruitment process: interview, personality test and practical case study, will help the recruiter assess your skills.

To conclude, writing a CV requires you to follow a number of rules regarding the form and content. Avoiding these mistakes maximises the chance the recruiter will invite you for an interview!