Writing your first CV is always a challenge. You want to do well and are often overwhelmed with information. Errors therefore slip easily into this document. It is possible to avoid them! So here are some tips for writing a professional resume. If in doubt and if you have a contact in the company, you can ask in advance what is the company’s preferred CV format (anti-chronological, thematic or European) if it is not already specified in the job offer. Here are the mistakes you have to avoid in your curriculum vitae.
Choosing an Inappropriate Photo
Although it is not mandatory, if you decide to put a photo on your CV, you have to choose it properly. Selfies and photos taken at the swimming pool should absolutely be avoided, for example. The ideal photo should be frontal, on a neutral background and should only represent the candidate. Depending on your professional field, you may benefit from more leeway but to be careful, take a photo for your CV with a professional outfit on a neutral background. In some cases, a CV is required without the photo (especially with US companies). So, double check the ad before you decide to add a picture or not.
Make an Overloaded CV
Some candidates think that making a long CV will impress the recruiter. This is a particularly common mistake among young graduates. But by dint of wanting to fill out your resume at all costs, you risk adding unnecessary information. You have to get straight to the point because recruiters do not spend more than 10 seconds on each CV for the first screening. To help you, you can create your CV here. It is advisable to make an airy CV in order to make it as readable as possible. Also avoid putting too many graphics.
Using a Language that You do not Master
Writing your resume in a language you claim to know may seem like an excellent choice to demonstrate mastery of that language. However, unless you have a perfect knowledge of the language or are applying for a job requiring the CV to be written in it, avoid doing so. Indeed, writing your curriculum vitae in a language other than the one you master can be a double-edged sword. Even if the position plans to use this language, it is possible that the human resources teams do not master it and switch to next to your CV!