7 reasons your CV isn't getting interviews (and how to fix them)

You're applying, but nothing's coming back. Before you blame the market, it's worth checking the CV itself - because most CVs that go quiet share the same fixable problems. Here are the seven we see most often.

1. It isn't targeted to the actual job

A general CV that lists everything you've ever done forces the reader to work out whether you fit. Pick the role you want, read the advert closely, and make the top third of page one speak directly to it. Tailoring isn't keyword-stuffing - it's leading with the experience that matters for this role.

2. It opens with a generic profile

"Results-driven professional with excellent communication skills" tells a recruiter nothing. Replace it with two or three lines that say who you are, the kind of role you're targeting, and one concrete piece of evidence. Specific beats polished.

3. It lists duties, not outcomes

"Responsible for managing a budget" is a job description. "Managed a 400k budget and brought spend in 6% under target" is a reason to call you. You don't need a metric on every line, but the strongest bullets show what changed because you were there.

4. The formatting confuses the software

Many employers screen applications through an applicant tracking system before a person reads them. Text boxes, columns, icons and tables can parse badly, which means your content arrives scrambled. A clean, single-column layout with standard headings is safer - and easier for humans to read too. Ignore anyone promising to "beat" the ATS; the goal is simply to be read correctly.

5. The most important things are buried on page two

Readers skim. If your best evidence is hiding under older roles, move your strongest, most relevant material up. Recent and relevant wins the top of the page.

6. It's the wrong length

Two pages is the UK norm for most professionals. One page can work early in a career; senior roles sometimes justify a little more. What matters is that every line earns its place - length should follow relevance, not the other way round.

7. It reads like it was generated, not written

Repetitive sentence rhythm, stacked buzzwords and vague claims make a CV feel hollow, and recruiters notice. Write like a credible person describing real work. If a sentence could appear on anyone's CV, it isn't doing its job.

The quick test

Read your own page one as if you were the hiring manager. In ten seconds, is it obvious what role you're aiming for and why you'd be good at it? If not, that's where to start.

If you'd like a second pair of eyes, we offer a practical CV review that points out exactly which of these is holding yours back - clear feedback, no jargon. Book your free CV review.