Common CV mistakes and how to fix them (with notes for Angola)

Putting ID numbers on your CV (BI, NIF, passport)

It is common to see CVs with the number of the national ID card (Bilhete de Identidade, BI), the tax number (NIF) or the passport, sometimes with the issue date and place. Leave them out. A CV travels through emails, job platforms and printouts, and passes through many hands; ID numbers make fraud and identity theft easier.

A recruiter doesn't need these numbers to decide whether to invite you to an interview. If you are hired, the employer asks for them then, for the contract and social security, through its own channel. If an application form asks for them up front, make sure it is a real company and an official website before filling them in.

Before

ID (BI) no. 00xxxxxxxLA0xx, issued in Luanda · NIF 00xxxxxxx

After

(nothing: document numbers wait until you are hired)

Too much personal data

Many CVs open with a form: date of birth, marital status, number of children, parents' names, place of birth, religion. Almost none of it helps judge whether you are right for the role, and it takes up the most visible space in the document.

• Include: name, phone, email, city (and province or country if you apply abroad) and, if it is up to date, LinkedIn.
• Usually unnecessary: date of birth, marital status, children, parents' names, religion, full street address.
• Depends on the role: nationality or work permit when you apply to another country; a driving licence when the ad asks for one.

Some employers in Angola still expect a date of birth or marital status. If the ad asks for them, include them; if not, your CV loses nothing without them.

The photo

Practice really does vary here. In Angola and Portugal it is common to include a photo, and some employers expect one. For employers in the United States or the United Kingdom, photos are usually left out, partly to avoid discrimination. Multinational companies usually follow the norm of the country doing the hiring.

If you include a photo: recent, facing the camera, neutral background, good light, clothes like the ones you would wear to the interview. No party photos, no faces cropped out of group shots, no filters. If the ad says not to send a photo, don't.

Vague language levels

"English: good" says little. Describe your level on a scale the recruiter recognises. The most widely used internationally is the Common European Framework of Reference (A1 to C2), which you can use without a certificate as long as you are honest. Another option is to describe real use: "English: I read technical documentation and write emails; basic conversation".

• Portuguese: native.
• English, French and others: your level, and the certificate if you have one (with the year).
• Angolan national languages such as Umbundu, Kimbundu or Kikongo: worth listing when the role involves dealing with the public or working in provinces where they are spoken.

Don't overstate. If you write "fluent", part of the interview may well be in that language.

A generic profile or an "objective" about you

"Looking for a company that allows me to grow professionally" is about what you want to receive, not what you offer. Replace the objective with a two-to-four-sentence profile: your role, years of experience, main tools and one result.

Before

Dynamic, responsible young person eager to learn, looking for an opportunity.

After

IT technician with 2 years of user support on Windows and local networks, at a company with around 80 workstations. Degree in Computer Engineering.

Listing duties instead of results

"Responsible for customer service" says what you were asked to do, not what you did. For each role, choose three to five bullets that show what you did, with which tools and, when you know it, with what result. Use numbers you can stand behind, and honest approximations ("around", "more than") when you don't have the exact figure.

Before

Responsible for filing and invoicing.

After

Moved the invoice archive into digital folders and switched invoicing from monthly to weekly runs in Sage.

Other mistakes you can fix in minutes

• An unprofessional email address. Use one with your name; keep the old one for personal use.
• Inconsistent dates or unexplained gaps. Use one format throughout. A long break can have a line of its own: "2023: accounting course" or "2022–2023: career break for family reasons".
• A CV that is too long. Usually one page for people starting out and two for most careers. Old, less relevant roles can shrink to one line.
• Spelling mistakes. Read it aloud and ask someone else to check it. In Portuguese, choose one spelling standard (with or without the 1990 Spelling Agreement) and stick to it.
• "References available on request". It adds nothing; if they ask, you send them. Ask the people you list for permission first.
• The same CV for every role. See How to tailor your CV to a job ad.
• A very graphic template. Applicant tracking systems may misread it; see ATS-friendly CV.

Before you send it, do one last check: your contact details are right, the file opens on another computer, the file name is clear, and everything in the CV is something you can talk about in an interview.