5 Common CV Mistakes Mid-Career Professionals Make (and How to Fix Them)

Still Using Your Old CV? It Might Be Holding You Back

You’ve climbed the ladder, gained valuable experience, and tackled significant challenges. You’re a seasoned professional, ready for your next big move. But does your CV actually show that journey?

Many mid-career professionals make common CV mistakes that accidentally downplay their growth and progression. Instead of showcasing a clear upward trajectory, their CVs can look like a flat list of jobs. Let’s fix that!

Here are 5 frequent mistakes we see and how you can easily correct them, ensuring your CV reflects the experienced leader you’ve become.

Mistake 1: The “Everything Including the Kitchen Sink” Approach

The Problem: You list every single task you’ve ever done in every role, thinking more is better. This buries your key achievements and makes it hard for recruiters to see how your responsibilities grew over time.

The Fix: Be selective and strategic. Focus only on responsibilities and achievements relevant to the roles you’re targeting now. Prioritize accomplishments that demonstrate increased scope, leadership, or impact compared to previous roles. Quantify your successes whenever possible (e.g., “Managed a team of 5, increased efficiency by 15%”).

Tip: ThePerfectCV’s templates encourage concise bullet points, helping you focus on impact rather than just listing duties.

Mistake 2: Using Passive or Generic Language

The Problem: Phrases like “Responsible for…” or “Involved in…” are weak. They don’t convey your active contribution or the skills you developed, especially leadership and strategic thinking gained mid-career.

The Fix: Use strong action verbs! Think: Led, Managed, Developed, Implemented, Strategized, Mentored, Negotiated, Optimized. Frame your bullet points around your actions and their results. Show how you made a difference and how your contributions evolved.

Tip: Feeling stuck? ThePerfectCV’s AI-powered content suggestions can offer powerful action verbs and phrasing tailored to your experience level.

Mistake 3: Not Highlighting Your Career Trajectory

The Problem: Simply listing jobs chronologically doesn’t automatically show progression. Recruiters shouldn’t have to guess how you moved from Point A to Point B.

The Fix: Make your growth explicit.

• Promotions: Clearly indicate promotions within the same company (e.g., “Software Engineer (2018-2020), promoted to Senior Software Engineer (2020-Present)”).
• Summary/Profile: Use your CV’s opening statement to tell a brief story of your progression, highlighting key advancements.
• Bullet Points: Ensure bullet points for later roles reflect higher-level responsibilities than earlier ones.

Mistake 4: An Outdated or Unprofessional Format

The Problem: Using a CV format you created years ago, perhaps one that’s cluttered, uses odd fonts, or isn’t easily scanned by Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

The Fix: Choose a modern, clean, and professional CV template. Ensure good use of white space, clear headings, and a standard font. Prioritize readability for both human eyes and ATS bots.

Tip: ThePerfectCV offers a range of professionally designed, ATS-friendly templates suitable for experienced professionals.

Mistake 5: A Weak or Missing Professional Summary

The Problem: Your summary is generic, non-existent, or focuses on objectives better suited for entry-level candidates. It fails to immediately signal your experience level and key career milestones.

The Fix: Craft a compelling Professional Summary (sometimes called a Profile or Overview) right at the top. This 3-4 line paragraph should concisely highlight:

• Years of relevant experience.
• Key areas of expertise.
• Significant achievements demonstrating growth (e.g., leading major projects, managing teams, driving strategy).
• Your career focus or ambition. Tailor this summary for each specific application.

Show Your Growth, Land Your Next Role

As a mid-career professional, your experience and your progression are your biggest assets. Don’t let simple CV mistakes hide them! By focusing on relevance, using strong language, explicitly showing your trajectory, choosing a modern format, and crafting a powerful summary, you create a CV that truly reflects your value.

Ready to update your CV and showcase your career journey? Review your current document against these points, or try building a fresh, progression-focused CV with ThePerfectCV today!