The 6-Second Rule
Recruiters spend an average of 6 seconds scanning a CV before deciding whether to read further. That's not a typo — six seconds. In that window, they're looking for role fit, relevant experience, and red flags. If your CV doesn't pass this snap test, it doesn't matter how qualified you are.
Here are the 7 most common mistakes that get CVs rejected — and how to fix each one.
1. Using a Generic Objective Statement
"Seeking a challenging position in a dynamic company" tells the recruiter absolutely nothing. Replace objective statements with a 2-line professional summary that highlights your key skills and the value you bring.
Example: "Full-stack engineer with 5 years of experience building scalable fintech applications. Led a team of 4 to deliver a payment processing system handling $2M+ daily transactions."
2. Listing Responsibilities Instead of Achievements
The biggest mistake. "Managed a team of developers" is a responsibility. "Led a team of 6 developers to ship a new product line, generating $500K in first-quarter revenue" is an achievement.
“Every bullet point on your CV should answer one question: "So what?" If it doesn't show impact, rewrite it or remove it.”
3. Poor Formatting and Layout
Fancy designs, infographics, and multi-column layouts look great on Dribbble but fail in the real world. Most ATS tools can't parse complex layouts, and even human recruiters prefer clean, scannable CVs.
- Use a single-column layout with clear section headings
- Stick to standard fonts: Inter, Helvetica, Arial, or Calibri
- Keep it to 1-2 pages max — one page for under 5 years of experience
- Use consistent formatting: same date format, same bullet style, same spacing
4. Including Irrelevant Experience
If you're applying for a senior engineering role, your summer job as a barista from 2015 doesn't belong on your CV. Only include experience that's relevant to the target role or demonstrates transferable skills.
5. Ignoring Keywords From the Job Description
ATS tools score your CV based on keyword match with the job description. If the posting says "React" and your CV says "frontend development," you might get filtered out — even though you're clearly qualified.
Read each job description carefully and mirror the exact language they use. This isn't keyword stuffing — it's speaking the employer's language.
6. Typos and Grammatical Errors
It sounds obvious, but 58% of hiring managers say they've rejected candidates due to typos. One typo can undo an otherwise perfect CV because it signals carelessness.
Read your CV out loud, use a grammar checker, and have someone else proofread it before sending.
7. Not Tailoring for Each Application
Sending the same CV to every job is the single biggest time-waster in your job search. A tailored CV — one that emphasizes the skills and experience most relevant to each specific role — dramatically increases your callback rate.
Tools like StepHire handle this automatically, generating a customized CV for each application while keeping your core information intact.