4 Things Not To Include On Your CV

It can be tempting to pack as much information as possible onto your CV to impress an employer.

However, a busy hiring manager will only skim a CV for an average of six seconds before deciding whether it’s hitting the ‘yes’ or ‘no’ pile. 

You should aim for one to two A4 pages but to keep a hiring manager hooked, it pays to be selective with what you include on your CV. Never include unnecessary information just for the sake of it.

Deciding what to omit can be tricky though. You don’t want to bore the reader with irrelevant drivel but you also need to highlight exactly why you’re suitable for their vacancy. 

If you’re struggling with writing your CV,  we’re celebrating National Career Development Month by compiling a checklist of 4 things you can confidently leave off your CV! 

Irrelevant personal details

At the top of your CV, you should list your full name, email address, contact number and home address.

It’s important to ensure that these details are up to date and accurate. You wouldn’t want to miss out on an interview invite because the hiring manager has your old contact number or an email address with a typo. You’d be amazed at how many job applicants fire off an old CV without checking the contact details are accurate!

Sensitive details such as your age, gender, religion, political views and marital status do not need to be disclosed. 

This information shouldn’t influence a hiring manager’s opinion and so, it is irrelevant to your application. Omitting irrelevant details will also keep your CV looking neat. 

An unprofessional email address

Whilst the embarrassing email address you created when you were 13 might have been funny at the time, it won’t look great on your CV. 

If you’re embarrassed to share it with your friends, it isn’t professional enough to be shared with a hiring manager. 

We advise creating an email address which can be reserved entirely for your job search. This will also help you to clearly see when responses from job applications or hiring managers arrive in your inbox. 

There are plenty of free email providers which are quick and easy to sign up to such as Gmail, Outlook or Yahoo.

To keep your email address professional, refrain from using a nickname and keep the wording as close to your real name as possible. Avoid using numbers at the end or abbreviations such as ‘xoxo’ as this can look immature.

A headshot

If you’re destined for the silver screen, a job vacancy might require you to attach a headshot. However, this isn’t something which usually needs to be included on your CV.

In most industries, your ability to succeed at a role has nothing to do with the way you look and a hiring manager should judge you based only on your skills and experience.

A photo of you is also likely to give away information which a hiring manager should be impartial to such as your age, gender and ethnicity. 

Negativity about other employers

You should omit details from your CV which give away your reasons for leaving a former or current employer.

Even if things ended on bad terms, refrain from disclosing anything negative about the company or your colleagues.

You’re the only person this will reflect poorly on and it might indicate to a hiring manager that you can be petty. 

Bad mouthing a former employer could also concern a hiring manager that you will do the same to them. They might begin to think that you’re the reason for your employment ending on a sour note. 

If a hiring manager requires more details about your employment history, this can be handled at the interview stage.

Who is Spencer Clarke Group? 

Since 2017, we've been changing the face of recruitment. From our employees, to the way we do business, to the culture within our office, we're determined to make a difference and create a positive impact on everyone around us.

Recruitment to us isn't just about matching candidates and clients; we’re passionate about finding candidates the perfect job which has the ability to boost their salary and standard of living, better their work life balance and improve their mental health. 

Similarly, we understand the impact which an experienced and skilled employee can make to a business and we love seeing clients thrive through the hard work of candidates which we have placed with them. 

We operate in two sectors:

Private Sector

Public Sector 

In eleven specialisms:

Accountancy & Finance

Education & SEND

Construction, Trades & Labour

Healthcare, Social Care & Nursing

Housing

Corporate Functions & Business Support

HR & Workforce Development

IT & Digital

Property & Asset Management  

Planning, Development & Regeneration 

Highways, Infrastructure & Engineering

If you’re searching for a new role, why not visit our job page to take a look at the latest opportunities? Alternatively, upload your CV and one of our experienced consultants will contact you when a relevant opportunity becomes available. 

If you’re struggling to fill a role, why don’t you give us a call on 01772 954200 to see how we can help? One of our consultants will be happy to listen to the challenges which you are facing and advise on the best possible solution for you.