[Must Read] Job Seekers:Common CV Writing Mistake That May Be Costing You Jobs!

Any one seeking employment knows that the CV or resume is the 'selling point'. These days, a cover letter is just as important, but that has not down played the value of an excellent CV. Your CV has to be good enough to grant you an invitation for the initial hiring process. So what is this one big mistake that people make on their CVs?

A popular convention is to put in a 'objective statement' right underneath where your name goes, but from new reports, it does not need to be there and there is better content to fill that space with. According to lifegooroo:

An objective statement is usually a short sentence defining your aim in sending along your resumé. It should be lean and to the point. In most cases, it means basically stating the name of the position that you are looking to fill. If you want to be fancier, you could say that you were looking to grow your experience in the field and advance. 

Great! So I’ll put one on top of my resumé. 

Not so fast. The thing about objective statements is that they are largely not used anymore. Some of the templates that people do still use continue to have an “Objective Statement” field, and that may be why people go out of their way to fill that space. 

The objective statement is falling out of use because all it does is basically tell the prospective employer exactly what they know—that you want the job they’re offering. They waste space, and distract from more important information, such as your skills.

So, what can you include instead? 

Instead of objective statements, most resumés will include career profiles instead.

Career profiles are a heading that goes on the top of your resumé just like an objective statement. The difference is that instead of stating what you want out of the job, it highlights the things you have to offer a company or employer. 

It’s the qualities you hope will make you stand out in the stack of applications. In effect, it is like moving the skills section of your resumé all the way to the top combined with a summary of the value you and your experiences will bring to a company. 

Well, what does that look like? 

Your career profile should look something like this: 

Motivated team leader with outstanding interpersonal skills and a competitive work ethic. Four years experience working in hotel management. Speaks both English and Spanish fluently. Excels in customer service settings and is devoted to raising brand awareness. Social media expert. 

The shorter the better. Now that you have ditched the objective statement and know how to put together a decent career profile, you are on your way to landing that new position.

I hope you found this helpful, and good luck with the job search!