9 Reasons Why Your CV Is Being Dumped (And How to Fix It)

If you have been applying for jobs and never hearing back, you are not alone. Many job seekers in Kenya and beyond send hundreds of CVs but receive zero responses — not even a regret email. But contrary to what you might think, it’s not always a lack of skills causing rejection. Sometimes, your CV is simply not working for you.

Recruiters spend an average of 6–10 seconds scanning a CV. That means your document must immediately capture their attention and clearly communicate your value. If it doesn’t, it ends up dumped — quickly.

Here are the 9 major reasons why your CV keeps getting rejected, plus what you can do to fix each one.

1. Your CV Is Too Long and Full of Unnecessary Details

Recruiters don’t want your life history. They want relevant, concise information.

Common mistakes include:

• A 6-page CV for a fresh graduate
• Listing primary school education
• Including irrelevant job experiences

The fix:
Keep your CV 2–3 pages max, focus on the last 5–10 years of work, and include only information relevant to the job you’re applying for.

2. You’re Using a Generic CV for Every Application

A one-size-fits-all CV is the fastest way to get rejected. Employers want someone who matches their job needs.

If your CV doesn’t reflect the job description, it goes straight to the rejected pile.

The fix:
Customize your CV for every role by:

• Matching skills to the job description
• Highlighting relevant experience
• Rewriting your summary to fit the role

3. Weak or Unclear Professional Summary

Your professional summary is the first thing recruiters look at. If it’s too vague, generic, or irrelevant, your CV gets dumped.

Examples of weak summaries:
“Hardworking individual seeking a job in a good company.”
“Graduate looking for opportunities.”

The fix:
Write a strong, targeted summary:
✔ “Project Assistant with 2 years’ experience supporting donor-funded programs, skilled in M&E, reporting, and community engagement.”

4. Lack of Achievements — Only Duties Listed

Most CVs look like job descriptions. Recruiters want to see impact, not responsibilities.

Weak example:

• “Responsible for sales and customer service.”

Strong example:

• “Increased monthly sales by 28% by strengthening client relationships and improving product presentations.”

The fix:
Use achievements, numbers, and real results whenever possible.

5. Poor Formatting and Layout

A cluttered, inconsistent, or old-style CV makes you look unprofessional.

Red flags include:

• Many different fonts
• Dense paragraphs with no spacing
• Grammar mistakes
• Unstructured sections

The fix:
Use a clean, modern layout with:

• Clear headings
• Bullet points
• Only 1–2 professional fonts
• Adequate white space

Good formatting instantly improves your chances.

6. Missing Keywords (Failing the ATS Test)

Most companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that scan your CV for specific keywords. If those keywords are missing, your CV is filtered out before a human even sees it.

The fix:
Pick keywords directly from the job description, such as:

• “Data analysis”
• “Project management”
• “Customer support”
• “Monitoring & Evaluation”
• “Budgeting”

Sprinkle them naturally throughout your CV.

7. No Clear Career Direction

Recruiters reject CVs that look confused — too many unrelated job roles, inconsistent timelines, or unclear career goals.

Example of confusion:
Driver → Sales → Content Creator → Lab Technician → Customer Care

This makes employers doubt your commitment.

The fix:
Align your CV to the career you want and remove irrelevant roles (or summarize them briefly).

8. Lack of Certifications or Updated Skills

In today’s competitive job market, lack of relevant certifications puts you behind.

For example:

• Applying for an M&E role with no M&E certification
• Applying for an accounting role without QuickBooks or CPA
• Applying for a marketing job without digital marketing training

The fix:
Take short online courses or professional trainings to boost your CV. Employers love candidates who invest in themselves.

9. You are Applying for Jobs You are Not Qualified For

It sounds harsh, but many job seekers apply for roles far outside their skills or experience levels. Some roles require specific qualifications — and without them, your CV is automatically rejected.

Examples:

• No HR degree or CHRP certification, yet applying for HR Officer
• No IT background, yet applying for IT Support
• No ICU nursing training, yet applying for ICU Nurse

The fix:
Apply for roles that match your experience OR start from entry-level positions to build your career.

Below is a clean, modern, ATS-friendly CV template you can copy, paste, and edit.
It uses simple formatting, clean headings, and keyword-friendly structure so it passes Applicant Tracking Systems easily.

Modern ATS-Friendly CV Template (Editable)

FULL NAME
Phone: 07XX XXX XXX | Email: yourname@email.com
Location: Nairobi, Kenya | LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/yourprofile

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

A concise 3–4 line summary highlighting your experience, skills, achievements, and career focus.
Example:
Results-driven [Your Profession] with X years of experience in [core areas], skilled in [specific strengths], and proven ability to deliver [key achievements]. Adept at working in fast-paced environments and committed to continuous professional growth.

KEY SKILLS

• Skill 1
• Skill 2
• Skill 3
• Skill 4
• Skill 5
• Skill 6

(Tip: Use keywords from the job description.)

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Job Title — Company Name | City, Country

Month Year – Present

• Start each bullet with an action verb (Managed, Led, Designed, Implemented).
• Focus on achievements, not duties.
• Use numbers, percentages, or results whenever possible.
• Example: Increased customer retention by 25% through improved service strategies.

Job Title — Company Name | City, Country

Month Year – Month Year

• Bullet point achievement
• Bullet point impact
• Bullet point measurable contribution

EDUCATION

Degree / Diploma — Institution Name
Year of Completion

Relevant Coursework (optional):
List 3–5 modules related to the job.

CERTIFICATIONS

• Certification Name — Institution (Year)
• Certification Name — Institution (Year)
• Certification Name — Institution (Year)

(ATS loves certifications — they improve ranking.)

PROJECTS (Optional but Powerful)

Project Name | Role | Year

• Brief description of the project
• Tools or skills you used
• What you achieved or improved

TECHNICAL SKILLS (optional)

• Software / Tools / Systems relevant to your field

Examples:

• Excel, Power BI, QuickBooks
• ODK, Kobo, SPSS
• HTML, CSS, JavaScript
• CRM Tools

ACHIEVEMENTS

• Award or recognition
• Career milestone
• Performance accomplishment

Use numbers where possible:
✔ Reached 150% of monthly sales targets for 6 consecutive months.

LANGUAGES

• English — Fluent
• Kiswahili — Fluent
• [Other] — [Level]

REFEREES

Available on request.

Final Thoughts

Your CV is your first impression — and often your only chance to stand out. If it’s poorly structured, generic, or full of mistakes, employers won’t think twice about dumping it.

But the good news is this:
With a well-crafted, targeted, and modern CV, your chances of getting shortlisted increase dramatically.