Former recruiter shares 9 things you should never put on your CV

Job hunting isn't always easy, and it can sometimes feel as though you've sent your CV and cover letter to just about every business with job openings in your local area and have yet to hear anything back.

But whether you're applying for your dream job or just need something to pay the bills, having a good CV is paramount. It's the first thing employers will look at, and no matter what the job is, you have to make sure your CV stands out from the crowd.

It can be difficult to know what to put into your CV. We all know it should include any relevant experience you've got from previous employment or education, but beyond that, it often changes based on how much room you have left on the page and what skills and assets you want to show off.

However, according to one former recruiter, there are some things you should never include on your CV.

The woman, named Sophie, now shares career advice on TikTok after leaving her recruiting job, and in a recent video, revealed the 9 things she always "hated" seeing on CVs.

1. Full addresses

Sophie stated the address section of your CV should only ever include the town, city, or county where you're based. She said recruiters don't need to know "what your street and house number are" at the application process.

2. Unprofessional email addresses

When sending your CV to a company, make sure it comes from an email address with a professional name. Your full name or a variation of your initials would work best for this, as Sophie indicated you should never use emails like "little owl at Gmail dot com" to send professional correspondence.

3. Selfies

Some people choose to elevate their CV with a picture. While this is usually fine, Sophie insisted it must be a professional photo or a photo that showcases you in the role you're applying for. It should not be a selfie or a "photo of you and your dog".

4. Personal details

The former recruiter stated your CV is not the place to share personal details like your marital status, as this often isn't relevant to the job and can be brought up in your interview if it does become relevant.

5. Using the word 'I'

Your CV should include a brief personal statement, but this should not include the word 'I'. Sophie said: "Instead, you want to start off with action verbs such as 'spearheaded' or 'consulted'."

6. References available on request

This is a common statement to add to the bottom of a CV instead of adding your reference details, as this often takes up too much room. However, Sophie stated recruiters know they can request references from you and don't need to be told.

7. Lists of job responsibilities

The former recruiter also suggested making your employment history more substantial. She said you shouldn't just list your responsibilities in each role, but could instead talk about "what the impact was that you had on your role", as well as quantitative data to back that up.

8. Long CVs

Your CV should be no longer than one page. Sophie said she could sometimes stretch to two pages if the applicant had a lot of relevant experience to share, but one page should be the standard to aim for.

9. Hobbies

The final point on Sophie's list was you shouldn't write a blanket list of your hobbies on your CV. She noted this can "depend a little bit" depending on what company you're applying to and whether you have any hobbies that are relevant to the job.

But she said: "In general, if you're playing tennis on the weekend, it doesn't make a difference to the recruiter."