CV Do's and Don'ts
Nov 26, 2025Our resume is the first impression for when we apply for a new job, and getting it right is crucial. Even highly qualified candidates can miss out on the next stage of the hiring process simply because their CV wasn’t presented effectively.
Formatting matters. If your CV is too long, hard to follow, or missing key information, it won’t showcase you at your best. Make sure all essential details are easy to find on the first page, anything you want a recruiter or hiring manager to know should be front and centre. Use clear headings, consistent spacing, and a layout that makes the reader’s job as easy as possible. Unsure where to start? Check out our free CV template available here.
Once you have a solid base, customise it to suit your style and your industry. Applying for a graphic design role? You might want to show some creativity with a personal logo or refined design elements. Going for a legal position? Keep the layout clean, polished, and professional.
There’s a lot that goes into crafting a strong resume, but to help you get started, check out our CV do’s and don’ts below!
Do:
1. Keep it concise.
If your resume is padded out to 3+ pages, recruiters may be put off from reading. As a general rule of thumb 2 pages is fine, go to 3 pages only when absolutely necessary.
2. Demonstrate results when giving examples.
Listing your skills doesn't give a real insight. By demonstrating your skills you give proof of performance, what you did, the actions you took, the challenges you faced and the results you delivered.
Think about how you've made your company money, saved them money, brought in new ideas, changed processes, and give numbers as evidence to back up what you're saying.
3. Update your CV for each job.
Yes, really. By tailoring your CV for every job (and not just your cover letter) you're showing the hiring team that you're not wanting any job, you want this one. Although you may be applying for multiple positions you can make each recruiter feel that you're most committed to their role from the get go, and this can go a long way in making a strong first impression.
As a bonus, sometimes recruiting companies will use programs or AI to filter out CVs containing exact key words or phrases. Look at the job description for a hint as to what these may be and include them in your CV (with the evidence to back them up, of course!)
4. Provide a description for each position.
For any job or volunteer position you include, make sure to have a brief description to ensure that the recruiter knows what you're referring to. This could include a quick summary of both the position and the company; it may not always be obvious and it's important for the hiring team to know what you're talking about before launching into the details.
Don't double up on information (all the space on a resume is valuable, make sure to not waste it!) so for example if you're listing a volunteer secretary position at a netball club, only discern that it's a netball club if it isn't in the club name.
5. Proofread.
Your resume is your first impression, and if it's littered with typos then at a minimum you're showing you lack attention to detail. Sometimes when we look at the same document over and over again our brain will naturally skip over some of these accidental errors, two great ways to avoid a typo are (1) reading everything out loud and (2) having a friend proofread.
Don't:
1. Don't feel like you need to include all work history.
If you have limited work history, or all work is relevant to the role, then including it all is fine. But if you're applying for a corporate position with years of experience under your belt in similar roles, then it's ok to leave out the cashier job you had at 16. On the flip side, feel free to include all volunteer history at the end of the resume.
2. Don't use vague clichés unless you can back them up.
Phrases like “hard-working” or “team player” require evidence, not just statements. Anyone can say they're a "quick learner" who “works well under pressure”, but how many can prove it?
3. Don't format in chronological order.
Your most recent experience is usually your strongest, so placing it at the bottom of your résumé means the hiring team may never see your most relevant achievements. Lead with your latest role to make the best possible first impression.
Recruiters also expect resumes to follow a reverse-chronological format. Listing jobs in chronological order can feel out of place and slow the reader down. When recruiters are reviewing tens or even hundreds of applications, they don’t have time to search for the information that should be upfront.
Keep it simple and familiar. Start with your most recent role and work backwards.
4. A photo may not be necessary.
It's not common practice to include a photo in your CV in Australia. What you can do instead (and what we'd suggest doing regardless) is include a link to your LinkedIn profile which should include a strong, professional photo of you.
5. Don't include references without checking with them first.
Whether you put your references directly onto your resume or simply write "references available on request" is up to you, both are accepted. What is important though is to make sure that your check with your references that they're ok to be contacted by a future employer. There would be nothing worse than the hiring team contacting one of your references who either don't answer or say no to being a reference.
Remember - not everyone will give a good reference at the drop of a hat.
There's lots to keep in mind when making a strong resume that helps you stand out in the best way. If you're ever unsure, feel free to get in touch with us at [email protected] - we can help refine your resume and best showcase your skills and experience!
Authored by RG (Employii Human Resources)
