5 Reasons Recruiters Skip Your CV in 10 Seconds (and How to Fix Them)

If your applications always go unanswered, your CV might be losing out in the first 10 seconds. Here are five mistakes to correct: 1. Weak headline Open with your target role, years of experience and key specialisations. For example: “Customer Support Specialist | 3 years | SaaS & CRM.” 2. Duties instead of results Don’t just list responsibilities. Show outcomes: “Closed 18 new accounts in 90 days” or “Reduced response time from 12h to 3h.” 3. Missing keywords Match terms from the job post—Excel, CRM, inventory, stakeholder management—so your CV gets through applicant-tracking systems. 4. Walls of text Use bullets, numbers and tools with outcomes. Make your CV easy to scan. 5. Generic cover note Four clear lines beat “Find attached.” Try: Hello [Hiring Manager], I’m applying for the [Role] role. I have [X years] experience and recently achieved [specific result]. My background in [2 relevant skills] fits this position well. Please find my CV attached. Reply with your job title and experience to get a stronger headline suggestion.

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