Inconsistencies on Your CV Tell Recruiters You Lack of Attention to Detail
You know that sometimes the small things make the biggest impact.
Whether it's making sure your suit fits well or your shoes are clean and polished before heading to an interview, there's no denying that first impressions count.
An interviewer may not think twice about the fact that you wore a perfectly fitting suit or took the time to shine your shoes.
However, they'll most definitely notice if you walk into the room looking sloppy.
The same principles apply to your job application materials: you need to pay attention to the smallest details.
It can be hard for recruiters to narrow down a pile of 100+ CVs into the 10-15 applicants who will be invited for an interview.
As a result, the CV screening process can turn into an exercise of looking for any reason to say "no."
Before you press send, review this checklist of common CV inconsistencies to ensure they don't appear on yours.
1. Conflicting Information
You cannot have any conflicting information on your CV.
All of the information on your CV, such as dates and job titles, needs to align with the information you present on other platforms such as LinkedIn.
Once you land the interview, make sure that you don't reveal any information that conflicts with what you have listed on your CV or LinkedIn profile.
If you do, you could raise red flags regarding your truthfulness and the validity of the information.
To prevent such mishaps, be sure to know the contents of your CV inside out before walking into an interview.
2. Different Fonts and Font Sizes
All section headings should be written using the same font and font size, as should all bullet points.
We don't recommend using more than two fonts on your CV.
When copy and pasting text from other documents, be sure to "paste as text" so that you do not accidentally bring in different formatting.
3. Mixed Up Verb Tenses
Your bullet points for your current position should generally be written in the present tense.
Your bullet points for your previous roles and those describing completed projects in your current role should be in the past tense.
4. Incorrect Capitalisation and Punctuation
Be sure to stick to traditional capitalisation and punctuation conventions.
Take time to ensure that your grammar is 100% correct.
If you know that grammar isn't your forte, consider using a CV editing service.
5. Confusing Sentence Structure
You should start each bullet point with an action verb.
By doing so, you'll naturally utilise parallel phrasing, which is not only grammatically correct but also makes your CV easier to read.
Avoid any long, complicated sentences that may confuse your reader.
6. Inconsistent Margins and Spacing
Your spacing between sections should be exactly the same.
If your CV is more than one page, your margins on both pages should be equal.
To ensure that your text is perfectly aligned, use tab stops instead of manually inserting spaces.
7. Varying Date Format
You should provide both the months and years that you worked in each role whenever possible.
Be sure to consistently spell out or abbreviate all months and use the same date format throughout your document.
If you are worried about including dates from earlier roles because of potential age discrimination, we recommend leaving those roles off of your CV altogether.
Alternatively, you can put them into an Early Career section that doesn't include detailed date information.
Do not falsify information to cover up an employment gap, for example, as a potential employer may reach out for references.
8. Multiple Colours
All your body text should be written in the same colour: black.
Remember that your CV should convey a highly-professional image.
You should not use excessive colours or graphics to help you stand out, as these often have the opposite effect.
If you choose to use an accent colour, be sure to apply it sparingly and uniformly.
In Summary
Especially in a challenging job market, attention to detail matters.
Ultimately, following the tips above will help make your CV easier to read and ensure it aligns with the expectations of executive recruiters, helping you land more interviews.
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.