Inconsistencies on Your CV Signal a Lack of Attention to Detail

When it comes to your job search, the small things often make the biggest impact.

Just as an interviewer may notice if your suit is wrinkled or your shoes scuffed, they will spot even the tiniest slip in your CV. And while polished shoes may earn you silent approval, a sloppy CV is more likely to earn you a rejection.

Recruiters reviewing 100+ CVs are often looking for reasons to narrow the pile quickly. If yours contains inconsistencies, formatting errors or conflicting details, it may be dismissed before your achievements are even considered.

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Here are the most common CV inconsistencies that could cost you an interview — and how to avoid them.

1.      Conflicting Information:

Every detail on your CV must align with your LinkedIn profile, cover letter and interview answers.

Mismatched dates, job titles or qualifications can raise doubts about your honesty. Recruiters will often cross-check details online — so if your CV lists one set of dates but LinkedIn shows another, you risk looking careless at best and dishonest at worst.

👉 Tip: Audit your CV against LinkedIn before applying, and rehearse your career timeline so you can confidently explain it in interviews.

2.      Different Fonts and Font Sizes

Consistency is key. Switching fonts, sizes or styles looks sloppy and distracts from your content.

👉 Tip: Use one professional font family throughout (we recommend Book Antiqua, Cambria, Garamond, Georgia or Arial) and keep font sizes uniform across headings and bullet points.

3.      Mixed-Up Verb Tenses

Your CV should read smoothly. That means:

Present tense for your current role and responsibilities

Past tense for previous positions and completed projects

👉 Tip: Consistency with tenses not only improves readability but also signals professionalism.

4.      Incorrect Capitalisation and Punctuation

A stray capital letter or missing full stop may feel minor — but to a recruiter, it screams lack of attention to detail.

👉 Tip: Stick to standard business writing conventions, and if grammar isn’t your strength, have your CV reviewed by a professional CV editing service.

5.      Confusing Sentence Structure

Recruiters prefer clear, concise, achievement-driven bullet points that begin with strong action verbs:

Increased revenue by 15% through new product launch

Implemented new CRM system across five regions

Avoid long, meandering sentences that bury the impact of your work.

6.      Inconsistent Margins and Spacing

Uneven spacing makes a CV look messy and difficult to skim.

👉 Tip: Ensure equal spacing between sections, use tab stops (not the space bar) for alignment, and check that margins are the same on every page.

7.      Varying Date Formats

Decide on one date format — e.g. Jan 2020 – Mar 2024 — and stick to it. Switching between formats undermines professionalism.

👉 Tip: Always include both month and year for each role. If you’re concerned about age discrimination for early career positions, summarise older roles in an Early Career section instead of removing dates altogether.

8.      Multiple Colours

Bright CVs rarely impress. Recruiters expect a professional, easy-to-read document, not a colour experiment.

👉 Tip: Stick to black text throughout. If you must use an accent colour, apply it sparingly and consistently (for example, section headers in a muted navy).

In Summary

In today’s competitive job market, attention to detail can be the difference between landing an interview and landing in the rejection pile.

By ensuring consistency across formatting, grammar, tense, dates and online profiles, you’ll project professionalism and credibility — the qualities every employer looks for.

Recruiters are quick to eliminate sloppy CVs. Make sure yours is flawless.

To find out more, visit our website www.cvpilots.co.uk If you have any further questions, you can either book a consultation call with one of our team, or get in touch via email on team@cvpilots.co.uk