Page 80 - University English for non-speacalist
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Top 7 CV mistakes
1. Poor formatting
CVs that aren't clear and easy to read are a huge turn-off for employers. National Citizen
Service (NCS) research shows that recruiters spend an average of just 8.8 seconds reviewing
each CV that they receive - which leaves you precious little time to make a good first
impression.
It's therefore important to keep your CV concise so that it can be absorbed quickly. Helen
Tucker, HR director at Procter and Gamble (P&G) Northern Europe, recommends that the
template you choose to follow when composing your CV should be striking yet uncluttered.
'Avoid confusing layouts, and beware of using too many fonts or font sizes,' she advises.
Before printing or submitting your CV, save it and spend some time away from it. Peter Fox,
careers adviser at Durham University, suggests going back to it for a second time to scrutinize
how everything looks on your computer screen. 'Cluttered, disorganized and messy are three
characteristics that your CV shouldn't possess,' he adds.
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