CV and Cover Letter Mistakes You Must Avoid

Did you know that 61% of employers will automatically reject a CV with spelling mistakes?    

Writing an excellent CV is often less about writing one that stands out, and more about writing one that doesn't get rejected on a technicality. As depressing as this may seem to the eager, fresh-out-of-university graduate looking to make their mark on the world, it's the result of the monumental task many employers face when they advertise a job opening.     
While you may imagine employers are looking to find someone who can do the job, in today's economy it's much more likely they're flooded with applications from people who can probably do the job... and more than a few applications from people who are so qualified they could do the job twice over. Therefore, the initial selection process for employers usually consists of coming up with reasons to quickly reject CVs. Typos are an excellent example of this.  

Typos

While we all make mistakes once in a while, an employer reasons that if you're careless and don't thoroughly proofread your CV, you'll also be careless on the job. Regardless of whether this is true in your case, a typo is relatively easy to spot without requiring the selector to exercise any brainpower in evaluating the content of the application. He or she can save a great deal of time tossing your CV in the trash due to a typo versus reading the whole page and considering its contents.
Place yourself in the position of a selector facing a stack of several hundred (in some cases several thousand) CVs, and you probably understand why this is a tempting shortcut to take.

Copying Verbatim from the Job Posting   

It may seem like an easy way to win points with a prospective employer and show you're a 'perfect fit' for the job, but copying text directly from the job posting is not a good idea. 41% of employers will reject you outright if they see their job posting simply regurgitated in your cover letter or CV, according to Career Builder.       
Instead of engaging in this misdemeanor form of plagiarism, show a touch of creativity and rewrite the job posting text into your own words. In the process, make a point of linking the qualities requested in the ad to the qualities you possess. Don't simply state that you're a 'team player,' state that you're a 'team player who led three groups at my last position...'  
The fact of the matter is, the selector already knows what he or she is looking for in a candidate. Telling them what they already know is a waste of their time, but giving them something familiar and tying it to your particular application is an excellent way to awake their interest.

Inappropriate Email Addresses      

As obvious as this may sound, you should be using a work-appropriate email address. 'sexylikewhoa@aol.com' may be suitable for giving out to friends, but it's not an address that should be appearing on your CV or cover letter! Keep your email address professional, which generally means some composite of your name and not much more.            
Putting an inappropriate email address on your CV or cover letter will get you an automatic rejection from 35% of employers according to Career Builder -- or 76% of employers according to another survey. Regardless of how tolerant your particular employer happens to be, there's no need to run the risk of losing a chance at the job just because your email address looked off.
If you currently have a 'creative' email address, register a new one at a free email provider using a professional-sounding email username, and put the new email on your application. If you're not likely to remember to check the new address, set it up so it forwards to your 'main' email -- just remember to log into the new account whenever you want to reply to an employer! Replying from your 'platypus_mcdandruff@home.com' email would give the game away.   

Poor Translation  

It goes without saying that, if you're applying to a job in a foreign country, you should send in a copy of your CV and cover letter translated into the local language. The only exception here is if you know already the selectors speak English natively, and expect you'll be submitting only English paperwork.
However, online translation services like Bing or Google Translate are not suitable for professional documents. While they make it possible to comprehend what you're trying to say, they consistently make a mess of the grammar. Instead, you should have a professional translation service, such as Simple Translation, translate your documents properly.    

Conclusion

The job application process is exhausting enough without needing to worry you'll be rejected for some inconsequential detail. Review your documents carefully to ensure there's nothing in them that would provide a front-line selector an excuse to trash your CV before it gets to someone who would appreciate what you bring to the table.

This content was created by AI