Holding a thick resume to apply for a job, a student receives an expensive lesson

(Dan Tri) - Holding her carefully prepared CV, the girl confidently walked into the consulting desk. However, just a few minutes later, the company representative frankly commented that "reading it made my eyes dizzy".

Students are advised by experts to build their CVs to impress employers (Photo: Huyen Nguyen).

A "slip" in the application round

The job fair combined with the program "A day as a Law student" organized by Ho Chi Minh City University of Law on December 7 attracted thousands of students to learn about careers, internship and job opportunities.

At the CV consulting area, students lined up to have their CVs edited by HR experts and recruiters.

In the long line of students waiting for their turn, Tieu My* appeared with a dense CV presented on 2 A4 pages.

On this page, the female student listed a series of activities she participated in from her first year of university until now.

However, instead of appreciating it, the business representative frankly shared that this CV makes the reader "dizzy" and cannot condense any core information.

"The information listed is too small and has no highlights, and does not serve the job," said a human resources expert. He advised candidates to consider the purpose when including skill activities, prioritizing events with recognition, degrees, awards, and commendations...

This is a common mistake that many students make. Therefore, despite having very good academic and training achievements, young people cannot make an impression on employers because they do not know how to filter information.

In contrast to his "dizzying" 2-page CV, Huynh Dang Khoa, a 4th-year Law student, tried to simplify his profile to just one A4 page, presenting it in a clear, easy-to-read format.

“I think there are a lot of applications sent in, I have to make my CV stand out from the rest, so that the recruiter can read the most concise and impressive things,” Dang Khoa shared.

Huynh Dang Khoa (right) discussed with human resources and consultants from businesses (Photo: Huyen Nguyen).

The male student is confident with his profile because over the past time, he has trained himself a lot, has experience in doing internships early, won some awards in school as well as doing scientific research.

In this practical profile class, HR experts pointed out other common mistakes that students often make, such as using unprofessional images, "selfie" photos, or images that are too youthful and unserious.

Some basic CVs are adequate, but have errors such as small text, no contact information, or incorrect placement.

Talking to experts, many students "broke down" when holding in their hands a carefully prepared job application but with basic mistakes.

According to the suggestions of HR specialists, the ideal CV should be selective in information, trying to present strengths in just 1 A4 sheet. Candidates need to understand themselves, choose the right material to highlight and impress, and answer the question: "What do I want to prove?".

Real capacity and qualities: "Hidden" requirements of employers

If your CV gets you through the qualifying round, your qualities and soft skills are the deciding factors for your internship and job opportunities.

According to Lawyer Le Xuan Loc, Director of Intellectual Property, T&G Law Firm LLC, companies highly value dynamism. This dynamism is reflected in the way candidates build their CVs and in their work experience.

According to Mr. Loc, although AI can help create CVs quickly, candidates should not ignore the factors of carefulness and neatness. A good CV is not a long CV, but a CV that emphasizes the right points, is presented clearly and reflects professionalism.

One of the things that makes a strong impression on businesses is that students do internships early in many different units, demonstrating a diverse experience.

Besides, foreign language ability, from grammar to communication, is a mandatory factor in a professional working environment.

Lawyer Le Xuan Loc talks with students (Photo: Huyen Nguyen).

Lawyer Loc pointed out 3 major disadvantages that cause candidates to be eliminated: lack of confidence, not researching the company, lack of neatness and punctuality.

He analyzed that doing thorough research before coming to the interview shows the seriousness, professionalism and real motivation of the candidate. On the other hand, arriving late or dressing carelessly creates a bad impression right from the start.

When asked whether employers care about the classification of degrees and "school background", Mr. Loc frankly shared: "We do care about which school candidates come from. Having a degree from a prestigious school is an advantage and creates a good first impression. But that is not the deciding factor. In the end, we evaluate by real ability and quality."

According to the director, candidates need to be confident, but also open-minded so that through the exchange and interview process, they can better understand their own vision, ambitions and actual abilities.

Schools and experts support students preparing to enter the labor market (Photo: Huyen Nguyen).

Associate Professor Dr. Tran Viet Dung, Vice Principal of Ho Chi Minh City University of Law, shared that connecting students with schools and businesses will provide a comprehensive picture of career orientation for high school students and support students in preparing to enter the labor market.

This creates a comprehensive educational ecosystem, connecting academics, experiences and careers, accompanying learners from choosing a career to entering the high-quality labor market.

* Student name has been changed

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/cam-ho-so-day-dac-chu-di-xin-viec-sinh-vien-nhan-bai-hoc-dat-gia-20251207175521492.htm