Hiring standards move fast.
If your CV hasn’t been updated in a few years, there is a strong chance it contains outdated habits that are working against you.
With more applicants in the market and technology filtering your details before a human even sees them, you have to be strategic.
You need to grab the right attention in seconds.
I understand how frustrating it feels to send off application after application only to be met with silence.
Often, the fix is simply removing the “clutter” that no longer serves you.
Here are five things you should stop remove right away from your CV if you’re still using them..
1. Your Photograph
This is a major one. Including a photo invites conscious or unconscious bias.
Research shows that recruiters often make a decision within six to eight seconds of seeing a profile.
You don’t want someone making a snap judgement based on your age or gender before they’ve even read about your expertise.
Unless you are applying in a country where this is specifically required, leave the photo off.
It is simply not expected in a modern professional CV.
2. Your Full Address and Date of Birth
Data protection is a priority.
You do not need to share your exact front door and birth date at the initial application stage.
Your city and country are perfectly sufficient. In fact, you can even tailor this to the office location you are applying for.
If I live in a small town but I am applying for a role in a city, I’d put that city on my CV.
This prevents any snap decisions about whether your commute might be “too long.”
3. References
“References available upon request” is a phrase that takes up valuable real estate.
As do names, email addresses etc if you go as far as to list these references.
The reality is that companies rarely check references until they are ready to hire you. It’s a lot of administrative effort to do it any earlier.
Remove this section and use that extra space to talk about your recent achievements instead.
4. Hobbies and Interests
I know this is controversial for some, but hear me out.
If you say you enjoy walking your dog, you might hope for a fellow dog lover to interview you. But what if the hiring manager is strictly a “cat person” who has a bias against dog owners?
It sounds ridiculous, but why even invite that possibility?
Use the interview to build rapport and find common ground.
On the CV, keep it strictly professional.
5. Roles From Over 10 Years Ago
This is by far the most important rule of all.
Your CV is a job application, not your life story.
For most of us, the work we did a decade ago has been superseded by much more relevant experience.
Focus your space on the last ten years where you have really honed your skills.
You can still mention in your bio that you have “20 years of experience” to show your seniority.
However, the detailed descriptions and bullet points should stay focused on your most recent, high-impact roles.
By removing these five elements, you create the space you need for your bio, core competencies, recent work history and education to shine.
Good luck with your job searches this week, and if you’d like to learn how I can help you further, Book a free, no-obligation 30-minute consultation with me and tell me your story.