1) Too much information

Patrick Tan, principal consultant, Key International Search and Consulting, says some insurance professionals are prone to cluttering their CVs with unnecessary detail. “Sometimes less is actually more. If candidates try to showcase that they can do a lot, this may backfire, as the more salient points get lost in the clutter of their CV.”

2) Or being too brief

Important details do matter, so don’t gloss over vital bits of your work experience. Florence Chan, manager, operations, Darwin Rhodes Group, mentioned an example of a candidate who simply described his underwriting role as “underwrites complex applications”. That’s too short. Duties should be explained clearly, while specific projects and contributions should be listed, suggests Chan. Including such career highlights helps differentiate a CV from hoards of others, she adds.

3) If you are a contractor, please own up

Some candidates don’t mention that they are in contracting positions on their CVs, an omission which can cost them because it creates the impression they are frequent job hoppers. Chan says: “If candidates don’t state that they are contractors, employers are likely to think that they are very jumpy.”

4) Don’t hide your qualifications

Qualifications can be crucial for certain roles. For instance, actuaries who have accreditation should highlight this clearly, along with the name of their accrediting body. Tan says: “It’s very important to list all relevant information as certain roles do require specific qualifications.”

5) The JD is there for a reason

Tan says some candidates list their achievements and work experiences in isolation, without looking at the attributes desired in the job description. “It’s important to know what’s important in their role and skew their CV to the JD accordingly.”