Ok it was not the worst CV I have ever seen but there were glaring mistakes. It made me think – hey you do a good job Paul BUT also you do not charge enough!!

Here are some of the mistakes ….

CV Mistakes

Career Objective – Employers do not care what you want. They only care about themselves and the simple fact can you solve their problem. Replace career objectives with value statements – this will focus on the employer and not you.

Small Font – I have good eyesight so when I have to squint to read the CV the font is too small. This professional sacrificed readability in the bid to make a one page CV. If the employer cannot read the CV then they cannot get the information.

Solicitor Language – Some professionals over complicate language. To be honest I did not understand the meaning of half of the words. Keep it simple!!

An last but not least the biggest mistake – The CV was designed with a “one CV fits all jobs” philosophy – This will not work and you will miss out on key interviews. A CV should be tweaked for every job you apply for. When I produce a CV I will educate the client about future applications and their CV.

Cover Letter Mistakes

The cover letter highlighted why I never read them. It was pure jibber. There were big words and sentences that tell you absolutely nothing about the individual. There was a one word used that I am afraid of writing just incase the creator reads this post. A cover letter is an opportunity to let you put your personality across – don’t waste the opportunity.

There are some great people out there who write CV’s for a living and there are some cowboys. Choosing a service provider is like anything else. Shop around BUT do not just focus on the lowest price. If you need help with your CV check out our site.

Two questions you must ask yourself.

1. Why are these sites offering FREE stuff?

When I have been offered free stuff in the past there has always been an alternative motive. Normally to attract me to a site or to sell me some other product or service. Most of the sites who offer this free advice do not specialise in the area but probably have a related service. For example many recruitment agencies offer FREE CV templates and FREE CV advice. They are interested in jobseekers they can place in a new job. They are not really interested in helping anyone with their CV if they cannot make a placement or earn a fee.

2. How good is the FREE stuff?

I offer CV services so it is in my interest to say that the advice isn’t very good BUT I am being honest when I say that these FREE CV TEMPLATES and FREE CV ADVICE will not make you stand out in the crowd. An average CV will get average results. A FREE TEMPLATE will help you layout your CV but what about the content, selling yourself and making an impact. You will not be able to get this information on a free information site.

CV writing and design services may not be as expensive as you think. Contact us now to get a quote. We offer a comprehensive CV writing and design service to jobseekers in Ireland. CV design and redesign services for all levels of jobseekers from Graduate throught to executive. We will design a CV that will make impact and increase your percentage interview rates. The more interviews you get the better chance you have of landing that dream job.

www.careersandjobs.ie – Career advice and information about the job market in Ireland

www.cv4jobs.ie – information about CV’s and interviews

www.hrandrecruitment.ie – Blog for employers on related HR and recruitment topics

www.jobsnews.ie – Jobs and news on the Irish jobs market

www.jobsblog.ie