American Association of Singapore

Classic Résumé / CV pitfalls to avoid

By Alka Chandiramani

In Australia and India, the terms résumé and CV may be used interchangeably. However, a résumé more often has a free-form organizational style and is used for seeking employment in the private sector, whereas a curriculum vitæ usually has a more standardized look and format for the purpose of seeking positions in academic or educational institutions.

Whatever you may choose to call this document, its purpose is to do one thing and one thing only: to get you an interview. Yet, the average recruiter spends a mere 20 to 30 seconds glancing it over, meaning you need to make an impression and sell yourself quickly! Mistakes made can be exceptionally difficult to repair once an employer has the document in hand. As the saying goes, “prevention is better than cure,” especially as there is no cure once the résumé or CV has been sent to the employer! Hence, prevention is absolutely critical. Following are some of the pitfalls to avoid.

Personal Statement/Objective Phrases such as “Looking for a challenging opportunity…” should be avoided as the employer cannot interpret what your understanding of challenging may be! Take a look at your personal statement and read it out loud to yourself or someone you’re comfortable with. Imagine it was a television or internet advertisement - would you buy the product?

Too much information Use bullet points rather than long sentences; employers aren’t looking for you to explain your professional autobiography. Avoid clichés without any hard evidence. Try to show responsibilities (Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s)) that are quantifiable, which you have achieved while in your last role.

One size fits all This is but an easy way out! Do not use a one-size-fits-all approach to apply for lots of vacancies. Each employer is looking for someone who matches the specific requirements of each position and wants to know: What’s in it for me? What difference can this individual make to the organization?

Spelling and grammar I cannot emphasize this one enough. Statistics reveal that 20% of candidates are turned down because of spelling mistakes or formatting issues even though they may have been qualified for the position.

Design Use good quality bond paper, avoid colored paper and too many graphics. Electronic versions should include appropriate industry keywords. Use a plain typeface, between 10 to 12 points for the main content. Asterisks, bullets, underlining, bold, italics and graphics should only be used to make the document easier to read, not fancier.

Personal Details Despite having a perfect CV, you’re not getting any calls. Be sure to check the personal details you provided. Could your email and contact numbers be inaccurate? And ensure that a professional email address is used, not one that may have other connotations.

Pay attention to detail and you will be recognized as a viable candidate throughout your job search. Don’t miss out on an opportunity. Take the extra time and effort to create a document that will help you open up more doors. All the best!