Whatever you need to write about yourself in your job search, at all costs you must avoid lying to your recruiters and potential employers. Here are some handy hints to help you make sure your CV/résumé and other documentation show you in your best light without telling any untruths.

It’s increasingly hard to get a job – and a good one – these days, and although there is a lot to consider when you’re looking to get a job, effective business writing plays a major part in helping you succeed. In this series, HTWB columnist Lynn Tulip from Assessment4Potential explains the best ways to express your career information in your CV/résumé.

And if you want to catch up on all the earlier articles in the series, just check out the sidebar to the the right > > > > they’re all there for you to help yourself.

Here’s Lynn…

It is surprising how many lies are found on CVs / résumés.

Yes, it is important to make the most of your CV and to capitalise on the knowledge, skills and experience you have.  However, blatantly exaggerating and lying about the extent of your skills is a foolish thing to do.

Some indiscretions might improve your suitability and get you an interview; in fact you might even land the job. However, truth will always out in the end, and you are highly likely to be compromised at some point and have to admit that you are not as good as you claim to be or can not do what you are expected to do.

How will that look?

Honesty is always the best policy

Fabricated work histories, made-up responsibilities and even falsehoods about your employer (did you REALLY work for Lord Sugar or Donald Trump?) appear regularly on CVs. The fictional mention of being a prefect, captain or monitor at school may also not be the best representation of your abilities and will also contrive to put you on the back foot should you be questioned more closely at any stage of the recruitment process.

Making things up that you have not done and pretending you have achieved goals that are relevant to the job you are applying for might seem like a good idea since clearly the right experience and suitable skills are what the recruiters are looking for.  However, being called to account for misinformation results in heartache and more disappointment.

You might even get blacklisted.

Recruiters aren’t stupid

It is a bad idea and mind boggling that people continue to lie on their CVs when it is easy for recruiters to carry out some simple investigations and verify candidate’s claims.  OK, not all companies check every detail about their potential employees past history but it is possible to quickly discover sufficient information to oust the liar.

A candidate that has straight As at GCSE and A levels that works in a fast food outlet since leaving school will certainly be questioned in depth. Or most probably, because there is a lack of consistency, the application will be discarded.

In my book, “Get That Job”, I advocate that your CV is your very own marketing tool and that it is essential that you use it to present yourself in the best way possible.

So what’s the difference between boasting/bragging and self-promotion?

It is a big mistake to appear boastful throughout your CV.  A great many people make outrageous and pumped up claims in their CV that despite a realistic training and work history it is unbelievable that they have achieved the level they suggest they are at.

Prerequisite for many roles is the ability to use information technology. Would it surprise you to know that there are many augmented claims of IT prowess and program use?  When these are put to the test, the candidates fall foul and fall dramatically into the failure pit.

Watch you don’t contradict yourself

Whilst we are on the subject of untruths, how many of you read through your own CV and realise that you contradict yourself? You claim in one section to be, for example, an astute negotiator and in another you counter claim something else.  You might also detail your competency level in a language but your explanation and evidence is contrary.    

Recruiters also see CVs that list dates that overlap and raise questions about which date is correct and what the applicant was doing at that time.

Emphasising disinformation is clearly unacceptable and most inadvisable.

Don’t do it.

Let us know of your experiences in compiling a good CV for your job hunting … which approaches you’ve used and how they changed your chances!

Lynn Tulip from Assessment4Potential

Now: let’s make sure  you get that job…

“Get That Job” by Lynn Tulip … The art of successful job hunting (print, Kindle)
“Can’t Get That Job?” by Lynn Tulip … Seven killer CV mistakes that destroy your chance of job success (print, Kindle)
“How To Write About Yourself” by Suzan St Maur … how to make the most of yourself, whatever you need to write INSTANT DOWNLOAD now available!

photo credit: alexa fades away via photopin cc

There’s nothing like a quick reality check to pick up on any mistakes in your CV before you send it off. Here are some useful checkpoints that will remind you of your CV priorities and make sure you’re going along the right lines.

It’s increasingly hard to get a job – and a good one – these days, and although there is a lot to consider when you’re looking to get a job, effective business writing plays a major part in helping you succeed. In this series, HTWB columnist Lynn Tulip from Assessment4Potential explains the best ways to express your career information in your CV/résumé.

And if you want to catch up on all the earlier articles in the series, just check out the sidebar to the the right > > > > and they’re all there for you to help yourself.

Here’s Lynn…

Here are some careless, miscellaneous but avoidable errors that can impact on your chances of being selected for interview are mentioned in this final chapter.

Hiding information
Sometimes it is the information that you do not disclose that sabotages your application.  Either you forget to mention it or you don’t highlight it.  You might have even hidden it.

Freshness
Gaps in your CV were mentioned previously but another serious omission is submitting a CV that is out of date.  There is no excuse for not submitting up-to-date information or for giving reasons why there is a blank period. Having a stale CV registered on a job site also critically reduces the options you have and how likely it is that you will be selected for interview.

What not to include

Salary
Mentioning your salary does nothing to enhance your success rate.

References
Adding full reference details to your CV is a no-no and not amusing when you use inappropriate referees, for example your friends or family members.

Jargon / abbreviations
You must bear in mind that it is likely that your CV will initially go to an HR Manager or recruiter, who may not have the industry knowledge or level of technical understanding that a Hiring Manager would have.   Littering your CV with industry jargon and many abbreviations will confuse the non-technical reader and ultimately do you no favors when it comes to short-listing.

Which brings me to the point that if your CV is written for a limited audience it will only attract a very small amount of attention.

Keep information to yourself

Seriously. For example, in most countries it is illegal for an interviewer to ask about marital status, sexual orientation, race or age so there is no reason to include it.

Saying why you left
Reasons why you want to change or you left your job create some little light reading for the recruiter. Look at these examples and see if you think they would improve your chances of reaching the short-listing stage…!!

I was fired because I told my boss I wanted to sleep with him

I have failed the last 4 accountancy exams that I have taken and so have decided to look for a job in a different field

I had an affair with my boss which went wrong, so I had to leave my current job

I have been working as an accountant for 5 years but I am very bored of it and am in need of a change

The pay was too low

I have worked for my Mom for 3 years, but it is now time for a change!

I have been out of work due to having my leg amputated, however, I am now recovered and looking for employment again.

Myths and Rules

So what is it to be?  Do you carry on as you always have? Design and write your CV making the same judgement errors and sabotaging your opportunities or do you learn from your mistakes?

However you answer remember it can take a lot to recover from deadly blunders on your CV.

Let us know of your experiences in compiling a good CV for your job hunting … which approaches you’ve used and how they changed your chances!

Lynn Tulip from Assessment4Potential

Now: let’s make sure  you get that job…

“Get That Job” by Lynn Tulip … The art of successful job hunting (print, Kindle)
“Can’t Get That Job?” by Lynn Tulip … Seven killer CV mistakes that destroy your chance of job success (print, Kindle)
“How To Write About Yourself” by Suzan St Maur … how to make the most of yourself, whatever you need to write INSTANT DOWNLOAD now available!

photo credit: x-ray delta one via photopin cc