Very often, we are told that a Curriculum Vitae is our first – and sometimes only – chance to impress employers; and if we fail to leave a mark on them with it, we’re highly unlikely to ever be called for an interview, leave alone land that job.
Some recruitment experts may believe that a traditional CV is the best shot but as times change, the way you write your CV should also evolve. Here are four things that are now considered obsolete and should be deleted from your CV if you still haven’t done so.
#1 A long CV
A decade ago, many jobseekers would write each and every accomplishment on their CV – right from what they did during their school days to what they achieved at their last job.
That’s outdated. Today’s CVs should not be more than a page and should list only things that are relevant to the job that you are applying for. Leave out the details for a phone chat or a face-to-face interview, if required.
#2 My objective
Many CVs, after the contact details, include the individual’s objective in life. Again, this was the norm perhaps a decade ago, but not anymore.
A good CV these days includes web links to a candidate’s LinkedIn profile or his blog pages, if s/he has any. That allows the employer know more about your traits as a professional and makes it an interesting read than a boring paragraph.
#3 References available upon request
Just as with “my objectives in life” this was something invariably on every CV a few years ago. Today, however, it doesn’t go down well with recruiters. It’s a waste of space on the CV and gives the impression that you are still an old school person. If the employer is interested in hiring you and asks for references, you must provide them then.
#4 My hobbies and personal details
This is another thing which should not get much space on the CV, unless it’s something worth boasting about. You could love playing the guitar but don’t mention it unless you are a part of a popular band.
There may be more jobs available in the market today than they were a couple of years ago, but the competition is more intense than before.
You have to get creative and write a CV which will market you well before the recruiters. And for that, it has to be different than the others. Avoid submitting one with the same template and same format that was copied off the Internet five years ago.