10 Things You Should Never Put on Your CV
Writing a great CV is as much about what you remove as what you add. Ethiopian recruiters, like recruiters anywhere, are scanning quickly, looking for reasons to move on. Some of the most common CV mistakes are things candidates include thinking they are helpful, when in reality they are doing the opposite.
Here are 10 things to cut from your CV today.
1. A generic objective statement
"I am a hardworking and dedicated professional seeking a challenging position where I can utilise my skills...", this says nothing and wastes the prime real estate at the top of your CV. Replace it with a two-line professional summary that is specific to the role you are applying for.
2. Irrelevant work experience
If you are applying for an accounting role, your part-time work at a kiosk ten years ago does not belong on your CV unless you are fresh out of school. Only include experience that is relevant or demonstrates transferable skills. Every line should earn its place.
3. Dense paragraphs instead of bullet points
Recruiters do not read, they scan. Long paragraphs describing your responsibilities get skipped. Use short, punchy bullet points. Start each one with an action verb: managed, led, built, reduced, increased, coordinated.
4. Personal details that are not relevant
Date of birth, marital status, religion, and nationality are not required on a professional CV. Unless a specific employer explicitly asks for them, leave them off. They add no value and in some contexts can introduce unconscious bias before you have even been considered.
5. A photo (unless specifically requested)
Most professional applications in Ethiopia do not require a photo. Adding one that is casual or low quality can work against you. If a job posting asks for one, use a clean, professional headshot, not a cropped group photo.
6. "References available upon request"
Every recruiter already knows this. It is assumed. Writing it out takes up space that could be used for something that actually helps your application.
7. Duties instead of achievements
Listing what your job description said you were supposed to do is very different from showing what you actually accomplished. Instead of "responsible for managing the team," write "managed a team of six and delivered the project three weeks ahead of schedule." Results beat responsibilities every time.
8. Skills you cannot back up
Writing "proficient in Microsoft Excel" and then struggling to build a basic pivot table in an interview is one of the fastest ways to lose a job offer. Only list skills you can genuinely demonstrate. If you are a beginner, say "basic knowledge of" rather than overclaiming.
9. Spelling and grammar errors
A single typo in your name or the company's name can get your application binned immediately. Proofread your CV at least twice. Then ask someone else to read it. Then read it again. Use spell-check but do not rely on it, it will not catch the wrong word used correctly.
10. An unprofessional email address
If your email address is something like [email protected], create a new one before you apply for a single job. A professional email address is your first impression. [email protected] is fine and takes two minutes to set up.
One more thing
Do not pad your CV to fill space. A focused one-page CV from a recent graduate will beat a bloated three-page CV from an experienced candidate every time. Recruiters respect candidates who respect their time.
Once your CV is clean and ready, find your next role on Kedamijobs.
