The way you write your CV speaks volume about the kind of person you are. Your credibility is based on how you are perceived by employers. And in case you don’t know, employers’ perception of you is everything. What shapes employers perception of you is how you package your CV.

When your credibility is in doubt, generating interviews and getting your dream job become virtually impossible. Here are 5 things that destroy your credibility fast. You want to avoid them.

  1. Typographical errors – Are errors in the way you write and present information. I’m always embarrassed when I come across grammatical blunders in the CVs of university graduates. What they go to school to learn, I don’t know. This alone can bring down your worth and value and make employers decide not to have any relationship with you.
  2. Your email – I know you haven’t this before. Really, your email can build or destroy your credibility depending on your username and domain name. Some jobseekers use the same email they use in chat forums and social networking sites in their CVs. They use emails such as sexy_joli@gmail.com, flirty_blonde@aol.com, bad_guy@yahoo.com — sound familiar? Now, this says a lot about you whether you realize or not. Your email domain name other than yahoo, hotmail, and Gmail gives you more credibility.
  3. Misspellings — Ouch! This one smells like bad breath — nobody wants it. Misspelling words is as bad as grammatical blunders. It gives you away as a sloppy and careless person who is not committed to excellence. And this is because most jobseekers don’t take their time to proofread their CVs and give it to others to help them proofread it. As much as possible, see to it that your CV is free of misspellings and errors.
  4. Choice of font – Hey! Do you know that Microsoft has dumped Times New Roman as its default font? Why? Because it is outdated and they have something better. But guess what? Most jobseekers are still using it to write their CVs, even you! Worse, some jobseekers use fonts that are worse than Times New Roman. The font you choose to write your CV can build or destroy your credibility fast. Hint: Use fonts that are clear and easy to read.
  5. Unsubstantiated claims – Most jobseekers make loud claims in their CVs but always fail to proof them, to substantiate them. This does one thing — destroy your credibility. You achieve this and that; you can do this and that – yeah, any fool could have achieved same. It begs the questions: Where? How? Exactly how much? What was the impact made? Compared to what? Don’t make claims in your CV that you can’t substantiate. Period.

Always remember that your CV is the most important document in your job search. It is your representation, the first thing employers see before deciding to have any kind of relationship with you. Take the time to write and evaluate it.

Download my FREE REPORT, “How to Make Your CV Interesting to Read” at http://www.killercv.mycvwizard.com

Send article as PDF to
PDF
  • Share/Bookmark