Your CV is one of the most important documents you will ever put together. So let's have a quick look at things to avoid if you want yours to end in the recruiter's pile for the “short list” rather than in the bin.

Going on, and on – and on!

Curriculum Vitae may, literally, mean the course of one's life but recruiters are not interested in that. They are interested in what you can do for them. So keep it short, succinct and relevant. Whilst two pages are the standard, very senior executives may get away with three. But no more.

Using fancy paper

Unless you are in some way-out fashion or PR business don't use coloured paper. You might think bright green or even purple paper will make yours stand out from the rest. Perhaps. But, that might easily make the recruiter decide your CV is not worth looking at in detail. After all, they are are just as likely to be looking for someone to fit in rather than someone who wants to stands out.

Plastic folders

Most CVs are sent by e-mail these days but if you do happen to post yours don't be tempted to clip it inside a plastic folder. If the recruiter wants to pass a copy on to someone else – the appropriate line manager for example – s/he will have to dismantle the whole thing. If s/he decides to take some CVs home to digest over the weekend the bulky one is likely to be the one to be taken out if the briefcase is too full to shut.

Highlighting old qualifications

Recruiters are unlikely to be interested in exams you passed 20 years ago. What have studied recently that is relevant to their requirements?

Overdoing the italics and bold type

Both italics and the use of bold type can be useful in small doses but don't over egg the cake. If you try to emphasise everything you end up emphasizing nothing.

Coloured fonts

Highlighting with colour draws the reader's eye to that word or phrase – and away from everything else.

Including a photograph

This was a trend a few years ago, especially in the States. One guy sent me a CV with a picture of his face chopped off at the chin. It reminded me of those executed heads displayed on spikes on London Bridge in medieval times. Perhaps I had been reading too many historical novels but the damage was done as far as his image was concerned. Best to leave the photo in the family album.

Emphasizing irrelevant points

At the height of the last recession some poor guy sent me a CV with just a very, very brief paragraph on the front page. It told me his name, his age and that he was divorced with two grown up children. Nothing else. He might have had a brilliant job record but a busy recruiter would have read no further than that page and put his CV on the “reject” pile.

Giving the wrong message

Another guy contacted me to say he was interested in a job around 200 miles from his home. Pity his house was called “Dunroaming”. If he really had “done roaming” why was he applying for a job so far from where he lived? Yet another sent me a CV with a graphic of his house on the top right of the first page. Was he trying to promote himself or sell his house?

Listing peculiar interests

If your hobby is talking to aliens on a distant planet, it's perhaps best to keep quite about it. Whilst recruiters do actually like to see some “interests” listed you do need to be careful. I once met an MD who claimed he automatically rejected someone who listed “golf” as a hobby. Presumably, he thought golfers are likely to sneak off to the club for the afternoon. However, this does illustrate that “interests” need to be thought through.

Above all, remember that in a competitive job market like the one we have today recruiters are likely to do the first “sort” on the basis of “reasons to reject”. Make sure your CV presents you in such a way that you will be included when s/he moves on to the “reasons to select” stage.

[CV Basics: Part 2 to follow soon]