What should I not put on a CV?

You should not put irrelevant personal details (age, marital status, photos, religion), lies or exaggerations, unprofessional contact info, reasons for leaving previous jobs, or excessive personal hobbies on a CV; instead, focus on relevant skills, achievements, and quantifiable results, keeping it concise, error-free, and tailored to the specific job to pass applicant tracking systems and impress recruiters.

What should you not put on a CV?

So here they are, 10 things not to do on your CV:

• Providing irrelevant personal information. ...
• Burying important information. ...
• Spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors. ...
• Unexplained gaps in employment. ...
• Lying or misleading information. ...
• A long, waffly CV. ...
• Badly formatted CV. ...
• Meaningless introductions.

What are red flags on a CV?

Here are some key CV red flags to watch out for: Sloppy Formatting – A messy CV with inconsistent fonts, spacing, and bullet points screams a lack of attention to detail. Typos and Grammatical Errors – Proofread meticulously! Typos and grammatical errors make you look unprofessional.

What are common CV mistakes to avoid?

Common CV mistakes include typos and grammar errors, poor formatting (clutter, bad fonts, complex layouts), not tailoring it to the specific job, focusing on duties instead of quantifiable achievements, and including irrelevant personal information or clichés, all of which can get your CV overlooked by hiring managers and Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). Always proofread meticulously, use clear action verbs, highlight accomplishments with numbers, keep it concise (1-2 pages), and customize it for each role. 

What are the don'ts of a CV?

Don't include very general hobbies (such as socialising with friends, reading, eating out). Don't use jokes, slang or derogatory terms. Don't exaggerate your abilities, as you will need to back up your claims at interview. Don't ignore large gaps in your work history, explain them.

12 things you should NOT include in your resume (with explanations)

What makes a CV unprofessional?

Too much personal information or irrelevant hobbies. A photo of the candidate. Writing in the third person or cringeworthy quotes. Unprofessional email addresses.

What is the 7 second rule in resume?

The "7-second resume rule" means recruiters scan resumes in about 7 seconds to decide if a candidate is a potential fit, looking for key info like skills, keywords, and achievements, often through an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) first. To pass this quick test, your resume needs clear formatting, a strong summary, quantifiable achievements with action verbs, relevant keywords, and to be tailored for the specific job, making it easy to spot your value quickly.
 

What makes a CV rejected?

A CV that looks light on information will be as readily discarded as the one which reads like an autobiographical epic! Just like the pointless process of attaching a picture to your CV, including too much personal info that is unrelated to the job is a waste of space and could be harming your chances of getting a job.

What do employers look for in a CV?

What makes a CV or cover letter stand out? Be proud of your achievements and bring them to life on your CV. Highlight your key skills and how they make you relevant to the role that you're applying for. Make it personal, organised and engaging.

What are the three F's in a resume?

Having less than ten seconds to prove qualifications for a position enforces the idea that the focus point of drafting a resume, should be to stick to the Three Fs of Resume Writing: Function, Form, and e(F)fectiveness.

What looks unprofessional on a resume?

When filling out your resume skills section or experience section, only include information that's applicable to the job you're applying for. Including anecdotes about your hobbies or personal interests is, at best a waste of space, and at worst, unprofessional.

What are 5 things employers cannot ask about in an interview?

The 5 illegal questions to ask in an interview revolve around protected characteristics, such as those concerning your age, marital/family status, race/national origin, religion, and disability, because they can lead to discrimination, even if unintentional; instead, focus on job-related qualifications and abilities. Asking about children, religion, or if you're a citizen, for example, is off-limits, but asking if you can work overtime or are authorized to work in the U.S. is permissible. 

What are the 3 C's of a resume?

The 3 C's of a resume are generally Clear, Concise, and Consistent, emphasizing straightforward language, brevity (typically 1-2 pages), and uniform formatting to make your document easy for recruiters to scan and understand your qualifications quickly. Some variations also include Clean (neat design) or emphasize Competence, Commitment, and Compatibility as qualities to demonstrate within the resume.
 

What are the top 5 resume mistakes?

The top 5 resume mistakes include typos and grammar errors, poor formatting (especially non-ATS friendly designs), generic content (not tailoring to the job), listing duties instead of quantifiable achievements, and including irrelevant experience or fluff that doesn't showcase value. Avoiding these common pitfalls by proofreading, using clean layouts, quantifying accomplishments, and customizing for each role significantly boosts your chances of getting noticed by recruiters and Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). 

What makes a CV look cluttered?

Using more than two fonts on a resume creates a cluttered appearance. You can achieve stunning results by using one typeface for all the headings and another typeface for the remaining content.

What doesn't go on a CV?

There's no need to include personal information on a resume such as your social security number, marital status, nationality, sexual orientation, or spiritual beliefs. In fact, it is illegal for employers to ask for these personal details.

What are common CV mistakes?

Spelling and grammar

Employers often reject CVs with spelling or grammar errors. Use a spell checker, but do not rely on it. Ask someone you trust to review your CV.

What are the 5 P's of a resume?

The "5 Ps of a Resume" aren't a single, universally agreed-upon list but often refer to strategies like Positioning, Personal Branding, Presentation, Proofreading/Precision, and Personalization/Purpose—focusing on tailoring your resume's goal, visual appeal, accuracy, and unique value (your "product") to stand out, capture attention instantly, and show how you solve the employer's problems. These principles transform your resume from a job history into a powerful marketing tool for yourself. 

What are the 5 C's of recruitment?

The five C's that employers want a candidate to demonstrate are: Capability, and evidence of it, to perform the absolute must deliver tasks; Confidence in their own ability; Concern for others and the organisation; Command and the desire to increase this; and Communication ability at all levels.

What are red flags on resumes?

Resume red flags are warning signs like typos, unexplained employment gaps, job-hopping, generic content, focusing on duties instead of achievements, poor formatting, unprofessional emails, and failing to tailor it, signaling a lack of attention to detail or relevant experience, which can get your resume rejected quickly. Hiring managers look for clarity, relevance, and proof of impact, so anything that obscures your value or raises questions about your reliability (like frequent, short stints or no quantifiable results) serves as a red flag. 

Is a 70% ATS score good?

A higher ATS score means your resume is more likely to be seen by human recruiters. Typically, an average ATS score ranges from 60% to 70%, meaning your resume meets about 60-70% of the job requirements and keywords. To increase your chances of getting noticed, aim for an ATS score of 80% or higher.

What makes a weak CV?

Writing too little

A CV that is too short or too vague is also a bad CV. It misses opportunities to showcase the candidate's achievements and value. Without enough detail, it's difficult to demonstrate why you're a strong candidate or how you can contribute to the company.

What are 2025 resume buzzwords to avoid?

For 2025 resumes, avoid generic buzzwords like hardworking, team player, results-driven, passionate, and proven track record, as recruiters prefer concrete, quantified achievements (e.g., "Reduced costs by 15%") over self-proclaimed traits, using action verbs like "Implemented" or "Achieved" to show impact instead of just stating qualities or duties.
 

When should you remove old jobs from your resume?

Remove work experience from your resume if it's very old (over 10-15 years), irrelevant to the job you're applying for, very short-term, or from a company with a poor reputation, focusing instead on recent, relevant roles to keep your resume concise and highlight current skills, but avoid leaving significant gaps unless you can explain them. 

What is the F rule for resumes?

TL;DR - An F format resume is a resume template based on the fallacious interpretation of a study by the Nielsen Norman group which stated that people tend to read web content in an 'F' pattern, i.e. the first few words of every sentence and the first few lines of every page garner the maximum attention and the rest ...