29·01·2020
If you’re looking for a job, the search can get disheartening, and fast. It’s really hard not to take the rejection personally, and start wondering, “What’s wrong with me?” The truth? There’s probably nothing wrong with you – but your CV might be letting you down.
In her article on Probono Australia from December 2019, experienced recruiter Marilyn Jones shares the top reasons why your CV could be landing on the ‘no’ pile – and why.
For Marilyn, it’s all about the details of your CV and what those are saying about you to recruiters. For example, if your CV has spelling errors, the recruiters will infer that you’ll be an employee who lacks attention to detail. Failing to clearly articulate your soft skills implies that you’re just the same as the next candidate, and not including a cover letter when asked suggests you’re not good at following instructions.
That might all be untrue! But when a recruiter only has a couple of pages to assess how well you’ll do in a job, they look at all the clues – so what you say in your CV is important, but how you say it is equally so.
If you’re sick of the rejection letters (or the total lack of response!) grab your CV and read through it with a critical eye.
