The 9 Biggest CV Red Flags to Avoid (& How to Fix Them)

Hiring managers have seen just about every CV mistake.

If you want to keep a hiring manager’s attention (in a good way) and advance in your job search, it’s essential to keep your CV free of red flags.

We surveyed 625 UK and Irish hiring managers in our CV & Cover Letter Trends Survey to find out their biggest CV red flags. Here are the most common red flags we saw mentioned:

1. AI-generated content (mentioned by 57% of hiring managers)
2. Frequent job-hopping (47%)
3. Poor formatting (42%)
4. No measurable achievements (41%)
5. Irrelevant content (40%)
6. Long employment gaps (39%)
7. Distance/location issues (36%)
8. No cover letter (34%)
9. Oversharing personal information (32%)

If you think your CV might have one (or more) of these red flags, don’t worry. We’ll show you what to do about them, and why it’s worth taking the time to avoid them in the future.

1. AI-generated content

AI tools are great for speeding up the CV writing process, but be careful. AI-generated content often lacks the personalisation and specific details that hiring managers look for.

Imagine you’re an employer and you see the same generic phrases on multiple CVs — it doesn’t leave a memorable impression.

It’ll also create doubt about whether your experiences and achievements are genuine since AI is known for making things up. This might make employers dismiss your application altogether.

What to do instead

Remember, hiring managers want to see the real you.

While AI tools like ChatGPT are great for brainstorming and structuring your CV, take the time to tweak and personalise your CV and align it with the job advert to show you’re genuinely interested in the role.

If a job advert asks for managerial experience, instead of saying ‘I’m a strong manager’, write something specific and concrete to help you stand out. For example:

• Successfully manage team of 10 and organise monthly ‘fun on ones’ with each employee to boost morale and improve productivity

2. Frequent job hopping

If you’ve had several jobs in the past few years or tend to leave positions quickly, you might worry about being seen as a ‘job hopper’.

Employers may see frequent job changes as a potential risk, wondering if you’ll move on despite all the time and resources they’ve invested in you.

But this perspective depends on the industry. Jobs in events, hospitality, retail, construction, and computer animation often have seasonal or project-based work. If you’re in one of these fields, be sure to mention short-term roles on your CV.

What to do instead

If you think a hiring manager might question jobs on your CV that lasted less than a year, explain your shorter career stints clearly if they were meant to be short-term. For instance, if you were doing a contract role as a supply teacher, list it while writing your CV’s work experience section:

Head Supply Teacher
April to October 2024 (Contract)

As for all other roles, job hopping can be challenging to present in a positive light, so you have to do the best you can to frame each of your points positively.

Instead of just listing out each previous job, highlight your accomplishments and show how you contributed to each company’s success.

For example, highlight valuable skills and experiences using one of your work experience section’s bullet points:

• Organised [Event Name] for [Company Name], which attracted 500+ attendees and received positive feedback

3. Poor formatting

If your CV looks messy or unreadable, it will make a negative first impression.

A poorly formatted CV will likely end up in the ‘no’ pile because a badly laid-out document shows you lack attention to detail and aren’t focused on quality.

What to do instead

To present yourself as a professional candidate, follow CV formatting best practices and keep your design simple.

That means you should use a clean, professional layout with clear headings and bullet points. Also, ensure the fonts on your CV are easy to read and that there’s plenty of white space to make your CV look organised and uncluttered.

4. No measurable achievements

One of the biggest red flags for your CV is not including any quantifiable milestones.

Employers want to see what you’ve accomplished in your previous roles, not just a list of your duties. Without specific achievements, your CV work experience entries will be vague and unimpressive.

What to do instead

Include measurable achievements on your CV to provide concrete evidence of your skills and contributions and make it easier for employers to see the value you bring.

Think about any positive changes or improvements you’ve made in past roles, like increasing sales, making processes run smoother, or making customers happier.

It’s vital to use numbers, percentages, or specific outcomes to highlight these achievements and show employers you’re results-oriented and capable of making an impact.

For instance, instead of saying ‘Handled customer service requests’, say ‘Resolved 95% of customer complaints within 24 hours, improving customer satisfaction ratings by 15%’.

5. Irrelevant content

Having diverse work experiences can be a strength, but it doesn’t always come across that way to hiring managers.

Listing too many unrelated jobs can make it difficult for hiring managers to see how you’re qualified for the job you’re applying for because they’re looking at a large amount of unrelated information.

What to do instead

Keep your CV focused on what matters. Tailor it to each job application by highlighting experiences, skills, and achievements that match your target role.

For example, if you’re applying for a marketing role, talk about your experience with social media campaigns and SEO, not unrelated jobs or hobbies.

Unless you’ve got decades of relevant work experience in your field, it’s best to limit the number of jobs on your CV.

Pick the most relevant ones and ensure your CV sticks to one or two pages, depending on your experience level.

6. Long employment gaps

In the past, employment gaps were viewed negatively, but perspectives have changed.

That’s because employers recognise that there are valid reasons for an employment gap, like pursuing further education, taking care of personal matters, or travelling.

However, not explaining these gaps can be a red flag for employers, so address them clearly.

What to do instead

Be upfront about your employment gaps. Spin them positively, focusing on what you did during that time and how it prepared you for the job you’re applying for.

For example, say something like, ‘Took a break to complete a certification in digital marketing’, or ‘Travelled abroad to gain international experience’.

Mention any voluntary work, freelance projects, or courses you did during the gap to show you were still building skills and staying active.

7. Location/distance issues

Even though your location isn’t a reflection of your qualifications, it’s something employers think about. If your CV says you live somewhere far from their workplace, hiring managers might worry about your commute being too long.

What to do instead

Address the issue directly in your application. If you’re willing to relocate, mention it clearly on your CV or in your cover letter.

For example, you could write, ‘Currently living in Manchester but willing to relocate to London for this opportunity’.

If relocating isn’t an option, highlight any flexible work arrangements you’ve successfully managed in the past, such as remote work or flexible hours.

You could say, ‘Successfully worked remotely for the past two years, maintaining excellent performance and meeting all deadlines’.

Showing that you’re flexible and have thought about the logistics of your new role can help ease employers’ concerns and show that you’re serious about the role.

8. Missing cover letter

Although it takes time and effort to write a cover letter, not having one is a missed opportunity to stand out.

According to our survey findings, 85% of hiring managers think cover letters are vital to their hiring decisions.

The findings also revealed that 49% of hiring managers expect applicants to submit a cover letter, and 56% believe that including one shows that a candidate is more passionate about the job.

Employers see a lack of a cover letter as a sign of low interest. If you don’t include a cover letter, it can seem like you’re not enthusiastic about the job — or that you’re sending out applications in bulk.

What to do instead

Take the time to write a cover letter — especially if it’s for a job you truly want.

Writing a cover letter allows you to elaborate on key points from your CV and clarify any gaps or unusual career paths.

For example, if you’ve had a career break or switched industries, a cover letter is the perfect place to explain your journey.

9. Irrelevant personal information

Even though it’s not the biggest red flag, including personal information can still turn off employers.

You’d be surprised how often people add unnecessary personal details to their CVs. It might feel harmless, but sharing your personal information makes it hard for employers to focus on your professional qualifications.

At worst, seeing personal details can make hiring managers worry about privacy, bias, and discrimination issues — and they might just bin your CV altogether.

Here are some bits of information better left off your CV:

• Marital status
• Date of birth or age
• Religious or political affiliations
• Any sensitive information (such as a National Insurance number)
• Health or medical conditions
• Salary history or requirements
• Photograph (unless specifically requested)
• Sexual orientation
• Nationality (unless relevant to the job application)

What to do instead

Since space on a CV is limited, only include information that directly boosts your chances of landing the job.

Here’s what you should add to your CV:

• Contact information (e.g., full name, phone number, email address, LinkedIn profile, town/city)
• Personal statement
• Work experience (e.g., job titles, company names, dates of employment, responsibilities and achievements)
• Education (e.g., degree, name of institution(s), dates attended, relevant coursework or honours)
• Skills
• Certifications (e.g., certification name, issuing organisation, date received)
• Memberships in professional organisations
• Volunteer experience (optional)
• Hobbies and interests (optional)

If you’re worried you don’t have enough experience, consider taking an online course, volunteering, or providing more examples of your soft skills in your work or volunteer experience sections.

And in your hobbies and interests section, ensure your hobbies are relevant to the job or company culture.

For instance, if you’re applying for a role with a fitness company, mentioning your passion for marathon running is a plus. Otherwise, keep your CV focused on your professional experience and skills.

Methodology

This survey was conducted by CV Genius using Pollfish. The study aimed to understand hiring manager and recruiter perspectives on CVs and cover letters. The survey was sent out on 22 April 2024 and had a sample size of 625 participants. The sample included in-house employers in a wide variety of industries as well as professional recruiters.

To qualify, respondents had to have been actively involved in hiring people in the UK or Ireland in the past year. The survey ensured a balanced representation across various demographics, including gender and age groups, to accurately reflect the diversity of the British and Irish workforces.

To minimise bias, Pollfish uses Random Device Engagement (RDE) to ensure a fair and organic selection process. For further details on Pollfish’s methodology, please visit their website or reach out to ethan@cvgenius.com.

Sources

• CV Genius, ‘CV & Cover Letter Trends Survey’

About CV Genius

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