Shropshire jobseekers urged by a local employment agency to ensure their CV is up to scratch

With an average of 60 applications per vacancy posted in the county, Shrewsbury-based Red Recruitment has emphasised the importance of a perfect CV when applying for jobs, and is warning jobseekers that an application including even just one basic spelling or grammatical error could make all the difference between securing a job or not.

Meg Jones, Director at Red Recruitment, commented: “The job market is a particularly competitive environment at the moment, so it’s never been so important to have an accurate CV and covering letter to make that great first impression and secure a job interview. Time and time again though, we see the same mistakes made on CVs, which is particularly frustrating as someone may have the perfect skills for a particular post, but because they cannot convey them accurately, they ultimately miss out on the job.

“The most common mistake we come across is poor spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Incorrectly spelling ‘liaise’, not knowing the difference between ‘stationery’ and ‘stationary’, even misspelling the ‘Curriculum’ in ‘Curriculum Vitae’, these are all basic errors we see again and again. While these may appear minor or trivial slip-ups, if a candidate can’t show the due care and attention to detail to get such a crucial document 100% accurate, it proves they aren’t actually serious about getting the job – employers will certainly think twice before hiring someone with such a sloppy attitude.

“While using a spell-checker can help eliminate many of the more common mistakes, we’d also recommend jobseekers get their CV reviewed by at least one other person – a fresh pair of eyes can help pick up typos or errors that would otherwise have slipped through the net.

“It may sound obvious, but it is also hugely important for jobseekers to tailor a CV and covering letter to the job they are applying for, and relate the skills they have to the actual job specification. We come across so many generic CVs and covering letters that can be applied to many different sectors, which drastically reduces the chances of obtaining an interview, as a prospective employer is interested in the specific skills a potential employee can provide them as a firm. We are also encountering a growing number of covering letters that don’t actually match the job they are supposed to be applying for, again such a simple thing to get right.

“We know there are plenty of people who have the relevant experience and skills for a particular job, but who perhaps struggle to convey this correctly on paper. So to help jobseekers along the way, we have created a special CV and cover letter writing service, where we help construct a professional, relevant, eye-catching CV to ensure the best possible prospects for the candidate. Anyone interested in finding out more should call us on 01743 352222 or email mail@redrecruitmentsolutions.co.uk,” Meg concluded.