A strong, well-organized CV is often the first step to landing a job interview. While many job seekers focus on what to include in their CVs, it’s equally important to understand what should be left out. Including outdated, irrelevant, or unprofessional information can reduce your chances of making a positive impression on recruiters — or worse, lead your application straight into the reject pile.
If you’re actively searching for employment or preparing to apply for better opportunities, streamlining your CV is essential. This guide outlines what to remove from your CV to improve its professionalism, clarity, and effectiveness in 2025’s competitive job market.
1. Personal Information That Isn’t Relevant or Required
While it’s important to introduce yourself, including excessive personal information can do more harm than good. Employers don’t need personal details that have no bearing on your professional qualifications.
Remove These from Your CV:
- Date of birth
- Marital status
- Religion
- Nationality (unless explicitly required for work eligibility)
- Photograph (unless required for roles such as modeling or acting)
These details may lead to unconscious bias or discrimination. In many countries, employment laws discourage employers from making hiring decisions based on personal characteristics. Moreover, this information takes up valuable space that could be used to showcase your skills, experience, and accomplishments.
Pro Tip: Keep your personal section simple. Include only your name, city (optional), phone number, email address, and a link to your professional LinkedIn profile or portfolio.
2. Irrelevant or Outdated Work Experience
One of the most common CV mistakes is listing every single job you’ve ever had, even if it doesn’t relate to your current career goals. While showing work history is important, employers are mostly interested in how your past roles align with the position you’re applying for.
Remove or Deprioritize:
- Short-term jobs that don’t reflect your career direction
- Part-time roles that don’t contribute to your skillset
- Internships or volunteer work unrelated to the role
- Jobs held over 10-15 years ago (unless they are exceptionally relevant)
What to Do Instead:
Focus on your most recent and relevant experience. Tailor your job descriptions to highlight transferable skills and specific accomplishments. Emphasize how your experience connects to the position at hand, using quantifiable results whenever possible.
For example, instead of simply listing duties, say:
“Reduced customer onboarding time by 30% by implementing a new CRM workflow, improving customer satisfaction scores by 18%.”
3. Vague or Generic Soft Skills Without Evidence
It’s easy to fall into the trap of listing soft skills like “Hardworking,” “Team Player,” “Motivated,” or “Great Communicator.” While these traits are important, stating them without context or examples is not convincing.
Remove:
- Empty soft skill claims
- Buzzwords with no backing
Instead, show how you demonstrated these traits. Provide achievements or scenarios that prove your abilities.
Examples:
- Instead of saying “Team Player,” say:
“Collaborated with cross-functional teams across three departments to launch a product that generated $100,000 in new revenue within the first quarter.” - Rather than “Good Communicator,” write:
“Delivered training sessions to over 200 employees, resulting in a 95% satisfaction rating.”
These kinds of statements show real value and impact, making you stand out from other candidates.
4. Outdated Objective Statements
Objective statements like “Seeking a challenging position where I can utilize my skills” have become obsolete. Modern recruiters are looking for Professional Summaries that highlight what you bring to the table — not what you want from the job.
Remove:
- Objective or career goals that are vague or generic
Use Instead:
Write a Professional Summary that focuses on your strengths, areas of expertise, and recent achievements.
Example:
“Experienced IT Support Specialist with over five years in managing helpdesk operations, troubleshooting complex technical issues, and optimizing systems. Known for reducing company-wide downtime by 30% through the implementation of proactive maintenance protocols.”
This provides a much clearer and compelling introduction to your candidacy.
5. Long Paragraphs and Complicated Formatting
Recruiters typically spend only 6–8 seconds scanning a CV before deciding whether to continue reading. Long paragraphs and disorganized layouts make it difficult to find key information.
Remove:
- Dense blocks of text
- Overuse of paragraphs instead of bullet points
- Tables, text boxes, or multi-column layouts that confuse applicant tracking systems (ATS)
Use Instead:
- Clear bullet points to organize experience and accomplishments
- Consistent, clean formatting
- An ATS-friendly template (avoid unnecessary graphics or elaborate fonts)
Make sure your formatting doesn’t break when viewed on different devices or systems.
6. Unprofessional Email Addresses
Your email address is a small but critical detail that reflects your professionalism. An unprofessional or outdated email can make you appear careless or immature.
Remove:
- Nicknames or gimmicky email handles like coolguy123@email.com or princessxoxo@email.com
Use Instead:
A format like firstname.lastname@email.com is clean, easy to read, and more professional. If your name is common, include a middle initial or a relevant number — but keep it simple.
Also, use a reputable email provider like Gmail or Outlook. Avoid using older providers (like Hotmail or AOL), which can appear outdated.
7. “References Available Upon Request”
This phrase is outdated and unnecessary. Most employers assume you can provide references if needed. Including this line only takes up space that could be better used for showcasing your skills or experience.
Remove:
- Any mention of references on your CV
What to Do Instead:
Prepare a separate Reference List Document with 2–3 professional contacts, including their names, titles, companies, contact information, and your relationship with them. Provide this only when asked during the later stages of hiring.
8. Hobbies or Interests That Don’t Add Value
While a “Hobbies and Interests” section can add personality to your application, including unrelated or generic activities may dilute your professional image.
Remove:
- Personal hobbies that don’t relate to the job (e.g., gaming, watching movies, hiking — unless culturally relevant or industry-specific)
- Interests that could introduce bias
Include Only If:
- The hobbies demonstrate leadership, collaboration, or technical skill
- They’re relevant to the role or company culture
For example:
“Volunteer coding mentor for local high school students”
“Member of Toastmasters International – Competent Communicator Award recipient”
9. Lies or Exaggerations
This may seem obvious, but it’s worth noting: never fabricate experience, education, or certifications on your CV. Recruiters often verify qualifications, and dishonesty can cost you the job — even if you’re already hired.
If you lack experience in a particular area, highlight transferable skills, relevant training, or willingness to learn instead.
10. Salary Expectations or Reasons for Leaving
These are interview topics, not CV material.
Remove:
- Any mention of desired salary
- Explanations for career gaps or reasons for leaving previous jobs
If a company requires a salary range, include it in your cover letter or a separate application form — never on your CV.
Conclusion: Clean, Clear, and Focused Wins Interviews
A well-crafted CV isn’t just about listing what you’ve done — it’s about telling a clear story of what makes you the right fit for a job. By removing unnecessary personal information, vague statements, irrelevant experience, and outdated formatting, you give your application a professional edge.
Here’s a quick recap of what to remove from your CV:
- Personal details unrelated to the job
- Irrelevant or outdated work experience
- Generic soft skills without context
- Objective statements
- Long paragraphs or confusing layouts
- Unprofessional email addresses
- “References available upon request”
- Irrelevant hobbies
- Lies or fabrications
- Salary details or job departure reasons
Keep your CV clear, concise, and tailored for the role you want. Recruiters should be able to scan it quickly and understand exactly why you’re a great candidate.
For more job search tips, resume advice, and hiring insights, explore our resources at latest24.co.za, or check out:
- Top Remote Jobs Hiring Now
- How to Write a Winning Cover Letter
- CV Mistakes That Could Be Costing You Interviews
