Sending application after application and getting silence is one of the most demoralising experiences in a job search. Before you assume the job market is too competitive or that you are being unlucky, check your CV. In most cases, a few specific issues are causing the problem.

The objective statement nobody reads

Starting your CV with a paragraph about what you are looking for ("I am a motivated self-starter seeking a challenging opportunity...") wastes prime real estate. Replace it with a two-sentence professional summary that leads with your strongest skill and what you bring to an employer — not what you want from them.

Listing duties instead of achievements

The most common CV mistake. Saying "Responsible for managing social media accounts" tells an employer nothing useful. "Grew Instagram engagement by 40% in six months, leading to 200 new enquiries" tells them you can deliver. Where possible, attach numbers, percentages, or outcomes to what you did.

A format that breaks on different screens

Fancy tables, columns, and graphics look great in your design software but often collapse or appear as garbled text when opened on other computers or processed by applicant tracking systems (ATS). Use a clean, single-column format with standard fonts. Simple reads better every time.

Too long — or too short

Early career (0–4 years): one page. Mid-career and above: two pages maximum. A three-page CV filled with every job since school does not show experience — it shows you have not edited. Trim it to what is genuinely relevant to the role you are applying for.

A generic document sent to every job

If the same CV goes to a marketing role and an operations role without any changes, it is unlikely to be strong for either. Tailor the top third of your CV — your summary and top skills — for each type of role. You do not need to rewrite it entirely. Small adjustments make a measurable difference.

No contact details, or outdated ones

Surprising how often this happens. Make sure your email address is professional (not a nickname from secondary school), your phone number is current, and you include a LinkedIn URL if your profile is complete.

A CV is not a biography. It is a sales document with one job: get you an interview. Treat it accordingly, and update it before every application.