You'd be mad to hire me!

22 Jul 2008

Mad as a box of frogs!

Getting the CV basics wrong is one surefire way to avoid being shortlisted!



Many job-seekers get even the basics wrong when it comes to writing a CV. Here are ten examples of CVs that would most definately go to the bottom of any recruiters list:

  1. The neurotic: a candidate submitted a password-protected CV that could not be accessed.
  2. The evangelist: who ended a covering letter with "Jesus loves you".
  3. The banker: the applicant who put all his confidential bank details on his CV.
  4. The cyber-criminal: who put that his life’s ambition was to be a computer hacker.
  5. The punctual one: a candidate who said "I’m good at timekeeping. I wake up at 6am on Monday, Wednesday and Friday," on her covering letter.
  6. The bone idle: a candidate who sent across a generic template, leaving gaps where there should have been information describing the job position in which he was interested, and the company to which he was applying.
  7. The enigma: a CV was submitted with no name or contact details.
  8. The naughty one: the CV with an "inappropriate" suggestive e-mail address.
  9. The narcissist: a covering letter from a candidate with one objective: "to please and attain supreme perfection"
  10. The porn star: a CV that included a photograph more suitable for a glamour shoot.

The following CV howlers are courtesy of job advice blog JobMob, which found these in a US magazine:-

  • "I received a plague for Salesperson of the Year."
  • "Reason for leaving last job: Maturity Leave."
  • "Failed bar exam with relatively high grades."
  • "I am a perfectionist and rarely if if ever forget details."
  • "It's best for employers that i not work with people."
  • "I have an excellent track record, although I am not a horse."
  • "Personal interests: donating blood. Fourteen gallons so far."
  • " Marital status: Often. Children: various."
  • "I am loyal to my employer at all costs. Please feel free to respond to my CV on my office voice mail."
  • "Let's meet, so you can 'ooh' and 'aah' over my experience."

If you are seeking a career move and you are reading this, then you are half way there.... all you have got to do now is to send your CV into us and we will do the rest.

Draig Personnel is proud to have established links with many major employers in Wales and we often have the very best job opportunities available.