11 Common CV Mistakes That Cost You Interviews

Most CVs are rejected for the same handful of reasons. The good news: every one of them is fixable in minutes. Here are the eleven mistakes recruiters see most, and how to fix them.

1. Listing duties instead of achievements

"Responsible for customer support" describes a chair, not a person. Rewrite as a result: "Resolved 60+ tickets a week with a 96% satisfaction score." Outcomes persuade; tasks don't.

2. A generic CV for every job

The same CV sent everywhere matches nothing well. Tailor the summary and top skills to each posting — it beats volume every time.

3. No numbers

Numbers are the fastest credibility you have. Percentages, revenue, time saved, team size. Even estimates ("around 20 reports a week") beat vague claims.

4. Formatting that breaks the ATS

Tables, text boxes, columns, and images confuse the software that scores you. Stick to a clean single-column layout with standard headings. More in our ATS guide.

5. A summary full of empty adjectives

"Hardworking, motivated team player" tells a recruiter nothing. Replace it with what you do and one proof point.

6. Typos and inconsistent tense

They read as carelessness. Switch fully to past tense for old roles, present for the current one. Read it aloud before sending.

7. Going back 20 years

Focus on the last 10–15 years. Older roles can be a single line — or dropped entirely.

8. An unprofessional email

partyanimal2009@… undoes a good CV. Use firstname.lastname@….

9. Missing keywords from the job posting

If the role says "stakeholder management" and you wrote "worked with clients," the ATS may never score you. Mirror the exact terms — honestly.

10. Walls of text

Dense paragraphs get skipped. Use short bullets, white space, and clear sections so a recruiter can scan in seconds.

11. No clear job target

A CV that tries to fit every role fits none. State the role you want in your title and summary so the reader knows immediately where you belong.

Fix them in one pass

Open your CV and check each point above in order. Most people fix 5–6 issues in fifteen minutes and noticeably improve their callback rate. For the full method, read how to write a CV, then browse examples by role.