Is your CV costing you interviews? Fix these common resume mistakes before applying for next job

A Curriculum Vitae (CV) is a crucial document job seekers provide to human resources (HR) personnel when applying for a position. That's why it's essential for a CV to be foolproof and error-free and designed simply to create a positive impression.

Deepshika Thakur, Chief People Officer, Bikaji Foods International said to ET Wealth Online: "A clear, scannable resume format that highlights key points at a glance, combined with zero spelling or grammatical errors, creates the strongest first impression. Content is important and design makes it accessible."

What are some of the common mistakes candidates make in CV creation and how can they fix them?

Pratik Vaidya, Managing Director and Chief Vision Officer, Karma Management Global Consulting Solutions, shared with ET Wealth Online that the biggest mistake while writing a CV is creating a list of duties. Many candidates write what they were supposed to do, but not what they actually achieved.


Vaidya says: "A resume should show use cases, case studies and the "how" and "why" behind the work." For example, instead of saying "managed client coordination", the candidate can say how they reduced turnaround time, improved documentation, resolved escalations or supported a particular project outcome.

Also read: Does your CV design affect hiring? Here's what HR professionals really look for

According to Vaidya, another mistake is using one standard resume for every job. A banking role, software development role and administrative role need different emphasis. Candidates also overuse words like hardworking, dynamic and team player without backing them with examples.

Vaidya says: "The fix is to keep the resume clean, use role relevant keywords, add practical achievements, quantify results wherever possible and make every line prove relevance to the role."

There are some aspects that Thakur says should be avoided to improve the CV:

• Outsourcing the job of making a resume to someone else, which leads to them sounding clueless at times in interviews.
• Using the same generic version for all roles
• Ignoring spelling, punctuation, or grammar errors.

Thakur says: "A good way to start is to tailor content to specific roles, proofread meticulously, own your narrative, and use a simple ATS friendly format."

Also read: Salary has to be paid before 7th day of the succeeding month under new labour code; Know what else the new labour code says about salary timeline

For experienced roles, is it advisable to include work details in the immediate front section and put school and college details lower down or not mention them at all?

Vaidya says that for experienced professionals, the resume should lead with current capability, not old academic history. The first section should ideally cover a crisp professional summary, core skills and recent work experience.

Vaidya says that recruiters want to know what the person can do today, what scale of work they have handled, which systems or functions they know, and what results they have delivered.

Therefore, Vaidya suggests that education details can come in the later section of the CV, especially once the person has a few years of experience. School details are usually not required unless specifically relevant or the candidate is very early in their career. College details can be mentioned briefly, but work experience takes priority.

Thakur says: "For experienced roles, it helps to place detailed work experience front and center in reverse chronological order, and include college details toward the end for context, but secondary school can often be omitted unless uniquely relevant."

How much influence do referrals have compared to cold applications?

Vaidya says that referrals have a real influence because they reduce one major hiring problem, which is trust. When an employee or a known professional refers to someone, the resume is more likely to be opened and reviewed with interest. But a referral is not a guarantee of selection.

Vaidya says: "It improves visibility, not eligibility. In many companies, a referral helps the candidate cross the first hurdle faster, while the interview, skills and role fit still decide the outcome. Cold applications can also work, but they need to be sharper, more customised and aligned to the job description to get noticed."