The Bad CV Guide

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The Bad CV Guide the definitive dont list
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CV writing

• can be a minefield!
• With so much advice out there, how do you know if
  you have unwittingly put something in that
  shouldnt be there?
•  
• This is a guide to noticing those glaring errors
  that shouldnt have made it to the final draft of
  your CV and make sure that you produce a really
  confident and commercially astute document.
• This CV is your personal sales pitch - make sure
  its perfect.

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Dont apologise or mention anything negative

• Sometimes unfortunate things happen in a career
  and you should never apologise for them
  happening.
• Employers want to see how you dealt with
  adversity, not how adversity dented your career.
• Do
• explain how you overcame any problems you
  encountered.

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Dont use technical jargon or in-house terms

• Remember that the initial person reading your CV
  may not be from the department within which you
  want to work.
• If they dont understand your application they
  will move on to the next one.
• Do
• make your points clear and highlight your
  skills and achievements without alienating the
  reader.

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Dont mention specific personal details

• Theres no need to mention your age, height,
  weight, religious/political preferences or even
  your salary expectations.
• Some information just isnt relevant so dont
  disclose it as it may put the employer in a
  position where negative/positive discrimination
  can occur.
• Do
• remember equal rights and discrimination
  policies and allow
• them to hire you based on the quality of your
• application only.

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Dont include pictures unnecessarily

• Pictures are unnecessary unless they have
  particularly asked for one.
• If so, use a professional one taken in a neutral
  setting, preferably in appropriate business
  attire.
• Do
• make sure your LinkedIn profile picture (if
  you have one) is up-to-date and professional
  just in case.

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Dont use a tiny font

• A small font is not conducive to easy reading.
• Not everyone has the best eyesight and reading a
  size 8 font could make it hard for your recruiter
  to decipher the main points.
• Do
• stick to a size 10-12 font to be safe. Make
  sure any titles are picked out in slightly
  larger font to make the CV easier to navigate.

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Dont cram everything onto one page

• All too often job seekers try to fit everything
  into a single page.
• If you can, thats fine, but ideally you want to
  make it easy and enjoyable for the recruiter to
  read, rather than a chore.
• Do
• take time to space out your CV its not a
  problem if it spills onto a second page if it
  means the employer can read it.

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• Visit Jobs in Leeds for more CV tips.
• Search and apply for the latest
• Leeds Jobs
• today.