Common CV Mistakes: What Are the Biggest Blunders to Avoid?

Hi,

An article on Blunders in CVs by Shyam Majumdar. He normally writes in Business Standard.

Good one...

My personal experience tells me that I never hire people who don't write a proper cover letter. Some will write "Dear HR," some will say "Hi HR," some will say "Hi," and some will just attach their CV with a message "PFA my CV." Others will write in horrible English with spelling mistakes or use SMS language, which does not encourage me to open the attachment.

Once, I informed a candidate three times that I would not open their CV until they corrected their cover letter. Despite marking all the mistakes in yellow and reminding them, by the third reply, they still hadn't made the corrections. Consequently, I had to ignore that candidate.

Thanks,
Geeta

Cover letter and CV are two of the most important communication tools for a job seeker.

Please let me know if you need further assistance.

Well, most of the articles teach you about the do's and the don'ts, but seldom do they provide a perfect example CV. So, in the end, you are always confused about whether your cover letter is okay or if your CV is lacking some impact. Anyone with a perfect example of a cover letter for various jobs and occasions is welcome.

Hi,

It is really a good idea, and I suggest all job seekers review their CVs before sending them to the market rather than following the standard way of addressing. The CV is the first step to showcase one's capabilities. Make sure to cover all your skills and experiences clearly and concisely.

Thanks,
Viji
Mgr HR

Good looking resume represents about the person and how he/she takes care of things. However, many times we don't see people writing a cover letter. I don't think a cover letter is a must because many times candidates don't have much time to prepare one. They apply while they are free in the office. Even recruiters don't have enough time to go through lengthy cover letters. But a good email with a good resume is always impressive. Even a good resume without an email can suffice. Nevertheless, the resume should always be well-prepared in a standard format.

There are several "big names" that prepare CVs "for a fee" that contain several mistakes. I will not be surprised if a large percentage of the CVs in the report that "Surabhi Mathur-Gandhi analyzed were from these "professional CV writers"!

Hi,

According to me, writing skill is important but not crucial in the modern era of technology. Hence, please mark them as need-based. Make a clear marking similar to an exam question paper with 100 marks, such as:

- Qualifications + eligibility - 20 marks
- Technical know-how - 25 marks
- Experience - 25 marks

And so on. It will show transparency in your records. Never forget that under the RTI Act (applicable to private companies as well), you may have to provide legal and proper reasons for eliminating a CV or candidate.

This is just my two cents.

Regards,
Raj