The Mistakes That Get Your CV Binned

Why a CV gets rejected

In most cases it isn't a lack of talent, but avoidable mistakes that erode trust or stop the CV from being read at all. Here are the ten most common.

The 10 most common mistakes

1. A generic CV: the exact same document for every job.
2. Typos and the wrong company name: the classic unchecked copy-paste.
3. Duties without results: "I was responsible for…" instead of hard numbers.
4. An overly long CV: three or more pages that dilute your strengths.
5. An unprofessional email: use firstname.lastname, not a nickname.
6. A non-ATS-friendly format: tables, columns and images the software can't read.
7. Pointless personal details: date of birth, marital status, national ID number.
8. Unexplained employment gaps: an honest line beats a blank.
9. Empty clichés with no proof: "excellent interpersonal skills" with no examples.
10. None of the job ad's keywords: the CV doesn't match what they're searching for.

The one rule that wipes out almost all of them

> Every line must be relevant, true and results-driven.

If a sentence doesn't help you land that specific interview, cut it. If it claims a quality, it has to back it up with a fact.

The final check before you send

Read it aloud, double-check the company name, run the ATS test (copy the text out of the PDF and make sure it stays readable) and ask yourself: does this CV actually answer the job ad? With EuroCV many of these checks are automatic, and Pro tailors your CV to each role to eliminate the worst mistake of all: being generic.