9 Things to Remove from Your CV When Applying for Jobs Abroad
1. Your Age and Date of Birth
Age is irrelevant when it comes to your professional capabilities. Including it can invite unnecessary bias, so it’s best to leave it out.
2. Marital Status and Family Details
Your personal life has no bearing on your qualifications, so avoid including details about your relationship status or family matters.
3. Hobbies and Interests (Unless Directly Relevant)
Only include hobbies that have a direct connection to the job. Your love for certain music or sports likely won’t make or break your application.
4. Photos and Graphics
Stick to a clean, professional layout. A CV should showcase your skills and experience, not a photo album. If a photo is needed, you’ll be asked for it separately.
5. Salary Expectations
Leave the salary conversation for the interview stage. If you include expectations on your CV, you risk either underpricing yourself or pricing yourself out of consideration.
6. Reasons for Leaving Previous Jobs
It’s better to simply state that you’re seeking new challenges and opportunities. Avoid any negative comments about past employers, as this could make you seem unprofessional.
7. Irrelevant Work Experience
Only include work experience that’s related to the role you’re applying for. Don’t clutter your CV with jobs that have no relevance to the field.
8. Typos and Grammatical Errors
A CV full of mistakes can harm your chances. Proofread, or better yet, have someone else check for errors to ensure it’s polished and professional.
9. Your Full Home Address
It’s unnecessary to provide your full home address. Just listing the city or region is enough.
Bonus Tip: Avoid mentioning your tribe, religion, or other personal identifiers unless the job specifically requires it.
