Once you are happy with your CV, be sure to devote ample time to the editing process before sending it off.
You should view your CV as your first impression. Any sloppiness is considered to be a major (if not the number one) turn-off for recruiters.
Any of the following – if perceived as careless – can instantly land your CV in the “no” pile:
- Different fonts, font colours or sizes
- Inconsistent spacing in between sections
- Inconsistent alignment (such as dates that aren't indented consistently or bullet points that don't line up)
- Incorrect grammar or punctuation
- Spelling errors
- Formatting gimmicks
These elements need to be absolutely flawless - even if you're applying for a job where you won't be doing any writing at all.
What resources are available to help with editing?
Unfortunately, you can't rely on spell checkers to catch all of your mistakes.
Before submitting your CV, we recommend consulting the following resources to help ensure you're not making any glaring errors.
Grammarly
You can upload your CV into Grammarly's free grammar checker, as it can pick up more nuanced spelling, grammar and phrasing errors that Microsoft Word will not.
You can also install Grammarly's browser extensions for Chrome, Safari, Firefox or Edge to catch any errors in your emails and online forms.
Columbia Law School's Guide to Commonly Misused Words
There are some words in the English language that are often used incorrectly - even by native speakers.
The most common words that fall into this category include:
- effect vs affect
- principal vs principle
- then vs than
- who's vs whose
- it vs it's
- your vs you’re
- their vs there
You can consult this guide from Columbia's Law School to double-check the rules for their correct usage.
HBR Guide to Better Business Writing
CV writing and, more generally, business writing are very particular writing styles.
What is acceptable in an academic setting, for example, will often come off as verbose and rambling on a CV.
To improve your business writing skills and learn how to craft clear, concise and persuasive documents, read through Harvard Business Review’s Guide to Better Business Writing.
The writing techniques discussed will help you write a more powerful, convincing CV and also improve your on-the-job communication skills.
How should I submit my CV?
When submitting your CV, we always recommend sending it in PDF format (as opposed to Word format).
By sending your CV in PDF format, you retain control over your document:
- You can be sure formatting will stay the same and will not change if someone opens your CV using a different version of Word.
- No one will be able to go into your document to accidentally modify it, potentially causing it to appear like you made an unintentional error.
- Today's applicant tracking systems are able to easily read PDF documents, ensuring your information gets translated accordingly.
About CV Pilots
CV Pilots is an award-winning executive CV writing firm and a proud member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches. Our previous clients include CEOs and senior executives at the world's leading companies.
As a professional services firm, we take your reputation seriously. We are committed to delivering writing excellence and superior service while operating with integrity and discretion. Recruitment firms we partner with also trust us to consistently deliver quality documents for their clients.
Our writers have studied at top-tier universities and have strong writing backgrounds coupled with industry experience.
Here's how we can help you:
CV, Cover Letter and LinkedIn Writing Services: If you are looking for end-to-end support, hire one of our professional CV writers to rewrite your documents from the ground up.
Executive CV Template Downloads: If you plan to prepare your own CV, consider using one of our classic, ATS-friendly CV templates for Microsoft Word.
To learn more about our services, book an introductory call with our founder here or email team@cvpilots.co.uk.
About the AuthorMatt Glodz
Matt Glodz is the Founder and Managing Partner of CV Pilots and a Certified Professional Resume Writer.
After studying business communication at Cornell University, Matt worked for global companies, where he noted that qualified candidates were frequently denied interview opportunities due to poorly written documents.
At CV Pilots, Matt combines his solid business and writing background to craft CVs that give his clients the best chance of landing interviews. He has lived in the UK, US and Italy.
Based in London, he currently works with applicants ranging from CEOs to recent graduates and has been writing CVs for over 10 years.
He has been quoted on numerous business and career-related topics in outlets including Business Insider, CNBC, Fortune, Glassdoor, The Ladders, The Times and Thrive Global.