- Look out for poor grammar, typographical errors and misspellings – these reflect carelessness in your preparation;

- Avoid the temptation to include too much information – stick to the relevant details with regards to your qualifications and work experience. Try not to exceed one and a half pages at most;

- Do not be vague in describing your tasks and responsibilities – list your accomplishments rather than writing a job description;

- Do not copy other people’s curriculum vitae – ensure that your CV is a reflection of your personal education, skills and experience;

- Use plain white paper and print in black ink – this enables your CV to be photocopied and/or faxed easily;

- Avoid buzzwords and clichés like “good communicator”, “team player”, “flexible”, etc.

- Do away with excessive details – if you are now applying for executive positions, you need not mention the summer jobs you held while you were a student;

- If your name is an uncommon one, use a prefix like Mr, Ms, Mrs, etc in order not to keep the interviewer guessing;

- Outline your work experience using clear time frames, starting first with your most recently-held position and work backwards chronologically;

- Explain any time gaps where you may have been studying, unemployed or travelling;

- Never lie by stretching dates to cover gaps in employment or by enhancing job titles or descriptions to appear better than the position you held;

- Provide referees’ who can give a reference that is relevant to your work experience. Supply names and correct contact details of the referees. Ensure to inform the referees prior to listing their details, that they may be contacted by the prospective employer.

- When submitting your Curriculum Vitae in response to a vacancy, ensure that your education, essential skills, attributes and work experience match the requirements of the post.

More PSI advice
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