5 Of The Most Common CV Mistakes
1) Failure to position yourself
A CV is like a shop window. You are trying to encourage potential employers to take a closer look and find out what you have to offer. Think of this like a value proposition. How can you make your Football CV more appealing?
Kick-off your Football CV with a profile or summary of your career highlights in three or four bullet points so they stand-out and really grab the reader's attention.
2) No substance
Upgrading your achievements without any hard facts or evidence is the easiest way to lose the interest of a recruiter. Be honest about what you have achieved as there's every chance you may be questioned on this during interview.
Simple things can still be enough to get you onto the shortlist of candidates. If you were managing a team or department, make sure you state the number of direct reports. Did you hit or exceed your sales targets last year? You do not need to disclose confidential information, but you can use a percentage or some numbers to illustrate your achievements.
3) Lack of focus
There is no such thing as a ‘one size fits all CV' today. For every new job application you make, it is essential to modify your CV to reflect the skills, experience and type of individual the position requires.
A well-prepared CV should convince the recruiter you are a strong fit for the position on offer. Go through each requirement in the job specification and see what you have to offer that addresses each point. If you are missing too many points, you might want to reconsider your application.
4) Maintain a consistent personal brand
Diligent recruiters will cross-check your CV with your LinkedIn profile and other social media profiles to see if there are any inconsistencies. Is your CV an accurate portrait of who you are and your personal values? Will they get the same impression by reading a few of your posts or latest blog?
If you claim to be a dedicated volunteer in the football community as a part-time coach or helping out the local club on match days, people will expect to see this in your profiles. Eliminate any inconsistencies that raise doubts about the type of person you really are.
5) Update your contact details
Along with spelling mistakes and grammatical errors, it is one of the easiest things to overlook as you update your CV. Forgetting to change your mobile number or email address. If you do not want to receive emails via your work email, then make sure you provide another email address that you can check easily and regularly. Recruiters are not going to hang around if you do not respond quickly to their messages. Or, if you have a preference for when it is easiest to contact you, let the employer know when you apply. Don't let that golden opportunity slip by because of poor communication.
Another common mistake: make sure you don't send in your CV with an inappropriate email address.
Summary - Consider a Professional CV Writing Service
The 5 points listed above are just a few examples of the types of mistakes most people make in their CV, but in reality there are literally hundreds of considerations to make when preparing it.
Jobs In Football now offer a Sport dedicated CV Writing Service provided by industry experts, to help you ensure that your CV is in the best possible shape for hiring managers within Football. Find out more here.
