5 Common CV Mistakes Graduates Make (and How to Fix Them!) | CV Builder

5 Common CV Mistakes Graduates Make (and How to Fix Them!)

Hey there, recent graduate! Congratulations on finishing your studies – that’s a huge achievement! Now comes the exciting (and sometimes daunting) part: landing that first great job. Your CV is your ticket in the door, but it’s easy to make a few common slip-ups, especially when you’re just starting out.

We see lots of CVs here at ThePerfectCV, and we know what makes recruiters pause – and what makes them keep reading. Don’t worry, we’re here to help you avoid those common pitfalls. Let’s look at 5 frequent mistakes graduates make and how you can easily fix them.

1. The Vague, Generic Objective Statement

The Mistake: Starting your CV with something like, “Seeking a challenging role in a dynamic company where I can utilize my skills and contribute to growth.” It sounds okay, but it tells the recruiter absolutely nothing specific about you or why you want this particular job.

Why it’s a Problem: Recruiters read dozens, sometimes hundreds, of CVs. A generic objective makes yours blend into the background. They want to see you’ve thought about their company and their role.

How to Fix It:

• Ditch the Objective: Replace it with a concise Professional Summary (even if you’re just starting!).
• Focus on Value: Briefly highlight 1-2 key skills, your relevant qualification, and your specific career interest as it relates to the job you’re applying for.
• Example: “Enthusiastic Marketing graduate with a First Class Honours degree and hands-on experience in social media campaign management from university projects. Eager to apply digital marketing skills to drive engagement for [Company Name]‘s target audience.”
• ThePerfectCV Tip: Our AI-powered builder can help you craft compelling summary options tailored to different roles, taking the guesswork out of it!

2. Focusing Only on Duties, Not Achievements (Even Small Ones!)

The Mistake: Listing tasks you did in part-time jobs, internships, or volunteer roles without showing the impact you made. For example, just writing “Served customers” or “Filed documents.”

Why it’s a Problem: Employers want to see what you achieved, not just what you did. They want proof you can get results, even if your experience is limited.

How to Fix It:

• Think Quantifiably: Whenever possible, add numbers! How many customers did you help daily? Did you improve a process? By how much?
• Use Action Verbs: Start bullet points with strong verbs like Managed, Created, Developed, Increased, Reduced, Led, Organized, Assisted.
• Focus on Transferable Skills: Even seemingly unrelated experience teaches valuable skills like communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and time management. Highlight these!
• Example (Instead of “Served customers”): “Provided friendly and efficient service to approximately 50+ customers daily, consistently receiving positive feedback for attentiveness.”
• Example (Instead of “Filed documents”): “Organized and streamlined a backlog of 200+ client files, improving retrieval time for the team.”

3. Not Highlighting Relevant Coursework or Projects

The Mistake: Assuming your degree title is enough and not mentioning specific modules, projects, or dissertations that are directly relevant to the job.

Why it’s a Problem: As a graduate, your academic experience is a major part of your relevant background! Recruiters want to see the specific knowledge and skills you gained.

How to Fix It:

• Create a “Relevant Coursework” or “Key Projects” Section: Especially if your work experience is light.
• Be Specific: List modules directly related to the job description (e.g., “Modules included: Digital Marketing Strategy, Consumer Behaviour, Data Analytics”).
• Detail Projects: Briefly describe significant projects, your role, the skills used (e.g., research, analysis, presentation, specific software), and any positive outcomes (e.g., “Led a team project developing a marketing plan for a local charity, resulting in a 15% increase in their social media engagement”).

4. Typos and Formatting Errors

The Mistake: Submitting a CV with spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, inconsistent formatting, or a messy layout.

Why it’s a Problem: It screams lack of attention to detail – a crucial skill in almost any job. It makes you look unprofessional and suggests you didn’t care enough to proofread.

How to Fix It:

• Proofread Meticulously: Read it forwards, backwards, and out loud.
• Get a Second Pair of Eyes: Ask a friend, family member, or career advisor to check it.
• Use Spell Check & Grammar Tools: But don’t rely on them solely – they miss context errors.
• Keep Formatting Clean & Consistent: Use standard fonts (like Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman), clear headings, bullet points, and adequate white space. Avoid fancy graphics or unusual layouts unless you’re in a creative field and know it’s appropriate.
• ThePerfectCV Tip: Our professionally designed templates ensure clean, consistent formatting. Plus, built-in checks can help catch those pesky typos before you hit send!

5. Sending the Same Generic CV Everywhere

The Mistake: Creating one CV and blasting it out for every single job application without making any changes.

Why it’s a Problem: Recruiters can spot a generic CV a mile off. They use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that scan for keywords from the job description. If your CV doesn’t include them, it might get filtered out before a human even sees it. Plus, tailoring shows genuine interest.

How to Fix It:

• Analyze the Job Description: Identify the key skills, qualifications, and responsibilities the employer is looking for.
• Mirror Keywords: Naturally weave those keywords into your summary, skills section, and experience descriptions.
• Reorder Sections: If a job heavily emphasizes a specific skill you gained from a project, maybe move your “Key Projects” section higher up.
• Tweak Your Summary: Adjust your professional summary for each application to align perfectly with the specific role and company.
• ThePerfectCV Tip: Our builder makes it easy to duplicate and tweak your CV for different applications. Our AI can even suggest relevant keywords based on job descriptions you’re interested in!

You’ve Got This!

Landing your first graduate job takes effort, but avoiding these common mistakes puts you miles ahead of the competition. Focus on showcasing your unique skills, achievements (yes, you have them!), and enthusiasm for the roles you’re applying for.

Ready to build a CV that avoids these pitfalls and truly shines? Give ThePerfectCV a try – our tools and templates are designed to help graduates like you create professional, effective CVs with ease. Good luck with your job search!