After years hiring (and applying to jobs myself) here is what I learned...
Rejections happen in under 30 seconds. Either because the candidate doesn't have the experience, or because it's not a proper CV. You don't want to fall under the second bucket.
1. No clear role or direction
If I can’t tell what role you’re targeting in 5 seconds, I’m already annoyed.
Common mistakes:
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“Open to any opportunity”
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Listing 6 totally different roles (Sales, Marketing, Product, Ops, Data…)
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Generic summaries with zero focus
After years hiring (and also applying to jobs myself) here are Top 7 reasons recruiters instantly disqualify a CV (and how to avoid it)
Rejections happen in under 30 seconds. Either because the candidate doesn't have the experience, or because it's not a proper CV. You don't want to fall under the second bucket.
2. Walls of text (no scannability)
Recruiters scan, they don’t read.
Instant turn-offs:
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Long paragraphs
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Bullet points longer than 2 lines
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Dense blocks of text with no spacing
Fix: Bullet points; White space; Short, punchy lines If it’s painful to scan, it’s rejected.
3. Responsibilities instead of results
This is probably the #1 killer, and one of the most common.
Bad example: “Responsible for managing client relationships”
So what? I can't quantify the impact.
Good example: “Managed 25+ enterprise clients, increasing retention by 18% YoY”
Fix: Show impact, numbers, outcomes. If there are no results, it looks like you didn’t make any.
4. CV doesn’t match the job description
If the job asks for X, and your CV screams Y, you’re out.
Common issues:
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Wrong keywords
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Missing core skills mentioned in the posting
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CV clearly reused for another role
Fix: Mirror the language of the job description (without lying). Recruiters (or AI/ATS filters) are pattern-matching machines.
5. Obvious red flags (even small ones)
Some things scream “risk” immediately.
Examples:
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5 jobs in 3 years with no explanation
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Massive unexplained gaps
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Typos in the first half of the CV
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Weird email addresses (partyboy97@...)
Fix: You don’t need to explain everything. But please minimize ambiguity where possible.
6. Overdesigned or gimmicky layouts
This surprises people.
Bad ideas:
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Skill bars
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Icons everywhere
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Infographics for non-design roles
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3-column layouts ATS can’t read
Fix: Unless you’re applying for a design role, keep it clean, simple, boring. Boring CVs get the job done.
7. Buzzwords with no substance
Recruiters are immune to fluff.
Instant cringe:
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“Results-driven”
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“Dynamic self-starter”
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“Visionary leader”
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“Passionate team player”
Fix: Replace adjectives with evidence. Show → don’t tell → always.
Final thought
Most CV rejections are due to lack of clarity, which is a loss for the candidate and for the company.
If a recruiter has to:
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Guess what you do
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Work hard to find your value
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Decode your career story
They won’t. They’ll just move on.
Hope this was useful and that you land the interviews you deserve!