Why Your CV Isn’t Getting You Interviews (and How to Fix It)

You’ve been applying for jobs but….No interview calls, no emails, not even a “thanks but no thanks.”

It’s frustrating and often it’s not about your skills — it’s about your CV not making the cut.

Here are the top reasons why a CV gets ignored and how you can make sure yours gets noticed:

1. Your CV is too generic

If your CV looks like it could apply to any job, recruiters will skim past it. Employers want to see that you’re interested in their role, not just any role.

Fix it: Tailor your CV to the job ad. Highlight relevant experience and skills that match what they’re asking for.

2. You’re missing the right keywords

Most companies now use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to screen CVs before a human even sees them. If your CV doesn’t include the keywords from the job description, it may never get through.

Fix it: Pull out keywords from the job ad and especially role titles, technical skills and soft skills and make sure they appear naturally in your CV.

3. Your accomplishments aren’t clear

Employers want to know what impact you made, not just what tasks you completed. A list of duties doesn’t show your value.

Fix it: Use accomplishment statements. Instead of saying “Responsible for customer service,” try: “Improved customer satisfaction scores by 25% in 6 months through new feedback process.”

4. Poor structure and readability

If your CV is cluttered, inconsistent or too long, it can be hard for a recruiter to quickly see why you’re a great fit.

Fix it: Keep your CV clean, professional, and easy to scan. Use bullet points, consistent formatting and clear section headings.

Want help?
I’ve created a FREE CV Checklist you can download to make sure your CV ticks all the right boxes.

And if you’d like more personalised support, I offer a CV Review Service where I go through your CV in detail and give you clear, actionable feedback to improve it.

👉 Download the free checklist here
👉 Book a CV Review here

Make sure your CV is working as hard as you are and start getting noticed.