1. Missing/Incorrect Contact Details

Yes, you have read that correctly and unfortunately, this does not just happen occasionally. To think that you have spent so much time working on your CV and the only reason you have not been contacted by the employer is because of incorrect contact details or worse still, the complete omission of contact details is heart-breaking. This minute, go to your CV, where ever it is saved and double-check that your contact details are present and correct. If a CV comes our way and these details are missing, it is a “NO” straightaway. It shows carelessness, and will not be considered. If your details are incorrect and a call made to you is the wrong number, again, you are out of the running.  Seems obvious enough, but it is a common reason people miss out on potential opportunities.

2. Poorly Laid Out

There are a number of ways by which you can lay out your exceptional graduate CV, and there are endless amounts of templates by which you can use. From a GradSecure point of view, there is only one element that we would emphasise when it comes to the lay out of your graduate CV. Lead with your education first. You are applying for a graduate job and 9/10 times the recruiters are looking for a specific qualification or credential first and foremost. As I stated above, recruiters can very easily disregard your CV. Make it as easy as possible for them to find what they are looking for by putting it at the top. Your graduate CV should lead with your education from the present day backwards followed by relevant placements etc, right through to your work experience and extra-curricular activities. Lay this out in a way that is easy to read. Use bullet points instead of paragraphs, be consistent with your spacing, and if possible try to keep it to two pages (although never leave out relevant information, even if this means going over two pages).

3. Spelling mistakes

Our CV is a document that is approximately 2-3 pages in length. It is a document that we spend hours working on. With this is mind, you would imagine people would take the time to ensure that there are ZERO spelling mistakes. Unfortunately, this is not the case and it is actually an issue that raises its head all too often. If this is a document that you have slaved over for a number of hours, yet there are spelling mistakes contained in it, what does it say about your attention to detail? CVs with spelling errors land in the “NO” pile straight away. Attention to detail is of paramount importance in most graduate positions, and these spelling mistakes will result in your application becoming acquainted with the office shredder. How do we prevent this from happening? Proof read the document, and more importantly, let someone else proof read it. If they find a mistake, it may be embarrassing for a moment, but it is worth it in the long run.

4. Grammar Mistakes

Similar to the previous point, mistakes in this area should NOT be in your CV. It is very easy for an individual to make a mistake in a one off document or email, however your CV should be one of the most thoroughly reviewed documents you have. Pay very close attention to the most popular grammar mistakes, the ones we all commonly see. There, Their & They’re is an example of one of the most common mistakes. Ensure that commas, apostrophes and full stops are in the right places. If a recruiter is going through your CV and they are coming across these grammar mistakes, guess where your CV is going to end up? Yes, you guessed it, straight into that shredder.

5. Missing information/Dates

All of the above seem obvious, and most will believe these are mistakes or omissions they would never make, however this one may not be as obvious to everybody. When you are entering any education details or employment details, always ensure that you enter the dates associated with these. Recruiters want to know what you were doing and when you were doing it. They want to have everything laid out for them so it is easily found and read. If you leave out such details, most recruiters will not take the time to call or email to find out the details. They expect all information to be at their fingertips.

Take that extra half an hour to run through your CV and double check that you have not made any of these mistakes. As we have stated many times throughout this piece, unless you want your CV to enter an office shredder, ask a friend or family member to read through and catch any potential hiccups. It may not feel comfortable doing this, but it will be worth it when you land that ideal graduate job.