Many students dread writing their CVs simply because they don’t know where to start or end. Unfortunately, every role you apply for, whether it’s a graduate job, part-time student job or an internship, requires a CV and cover letter. In turbulent economic times applications become increasingly competitive and therefore it is critical that your CV stands out. So, avoid these six pitfalls to get on the interview short-list.

1. Having more than two pages

As a general rule of thumb, a CV shouldn’t need to exceed more than two pages. During my time in recruitment, I’ve seen student CVs that are more than five pages long and I would often just read the first and last page. When there are more than 500 applications to get through, keeping it short and sweet is the way to win over recruitment personnel.

If you find it hard to fit all your experience, achievements, awards and personal details on just two pages, then you’re probably including redundant information that deters the focus from what’s really important. By following the tips below, you will able to reduce your CV to only highlight the important aspects of your work, education and skills.

2. A clichéd objective

A lot of students and graduates don’t really know what they want when it comes to a career, and this really shows in their objectives. Having something like, “I wish to gain experience in the _________ industry and grow my skill sets as a ___________ within your organisation. I’m determined, organised and outgoing” adds nothing to your chances of being interviewed and thus, a waste of space.

An objective should be a shortened version of your cover letter. In no more than two sentences, you should be able to convey the main purpose of why you want the job and how it aligns with your career goals. If your objective isn’t punchy, shows personality and gets straight to the point, then don’t include one at all.

3. Irrelevant work experience

I’ve seen it all too often when students think that quantity matters over quality when it comes to listing work experience. The following are items you should exclude from your work experience:

• Small jobs that ended more than five years ago
• Jobs that didn’t last for more than a month (unless it was an internship or worthy of mentioning)
• Chores (mowing the lawn or helping a friend fix his computer doesn’t really count)

Your work experience should be in chronological order, starting with the most recent. The heading should give a snapshot of what, where and when, looking something like this:

Shop Assistant (casual, part-time)
Foodies Galore
Sep 2008 – Current

If you’ve only had one ‘real’ job, that’s ok, you can always elaborate on your experience: What were your responsibilities? What were your biggest achievements? What was your proudest moment? Any skills you’ve picked up that would be helpful to the job you’re applying for?

Also, you may want to list your involvement with student organisations. Were you the magazine editor for the school newsletter? Or maybe you were the event planner for a end-of-year ball? Those experiences would be noteworthy to mention.

4. Too much info on everything

Avoid including unnecessary information e.g. your personal details should just include your contact information (phone, e-mail, address), and not body measurements, your favorite color or your star sign (unless advised otherwise, of course). Many students tend to go over board when it comes to skill sets, hobbies and education. Quite simply… if it doesn’t show how you’re the perfect candidate for the job, then best not include it.

5. Not tailoring your CV to each job

Just like your cover letter, your CV should be tailored to each job. That includes combing over your work experience and skill sets to highlight attributes that are important to the job you’re applying for. If you’re applying for a graduate finance role, highlight your cashier responsibilities as shop assistant. If it’s a marketing job, then highlight your customer service and merchandise responsibilities.

6. Sloppy presentation

Presentation is important. Make sure you have a clear format that’s easy to read and follow a consistent style. There’s nothing worse than having three different types of headings and aligned text. And don’t even think about reducing the font or line break just so that everything fits on two pages. If you are going to print your CV out, then spend a bit more on a heavy stock paper and a nice envelope. Trust me, the HR personnel will notice and appreciate the effort.

Of course, once everything is done and ready to be sent out, get a friend or teacher to read over your CV and check for spelling, grammar and syntax errors. Now go get ‘em!

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