Is your CV being overlooked because of these mistakes?

I speak to so many Legal Secretaries, PAs and EAs who say the same thing...

"𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘫𝘰𝘣 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸."

In most cases, it is not the experience that is the problem, it is the way it is being presented!

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗩 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂.

Before you ever step foot in an interview, this is your first impression to a firm. It tells them how you work, how you present information and whether you pay attention to detail. If it is not clear, polished and tailored, it can be overlooked in seconds.

Here are the most common mistakes I see, all of which are easily fixed:

𝟭. 𝗟𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁
Writing in long paragraphs can make your CV hard to read. Use bullet points to break down responsibilities and achievements so hiring managers can quickly see your key skills and experience.

𝟮. 𝗕𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹
A CV that is overly short can make it hard for hiring managers to see your full experience and achievements. Include enough detail to demonstrate your skills, responsibilities, and impact in each role.

𝟯. 𝗡𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗽
Starting straight with job history makes it harder for hiring teams to understand who you are and what you are looking for. A brief overview (not an essay) of who you are and what you do is perfect. 

𝟰. 𝗧𝗼𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀
Your role in a coffee shop from 10 years ago should not take up more space than your current position. Keep past roles short and focus on your recent impact.

𝟱. 𝗡𝗼 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀
If your CV does not highlight relevant legal systems/software you are experienced with or the practice areas you have supported, it can appear too generic and fail to show your full expertise.

𝟲. 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗿𝘀
In a profession built on accuracy, even one typo or inconsistency can raise doubts.

𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿: Your CV should look like your best piece of work, organised, accurate and professional.

If you are currently on the job hunt, I hope this post has got you thinking about your CV and given you some useful pointers - let me know if you need any support with your search!

I would love to know, what is the hardest part of creating a CV that truly reflects your abilities?