Here it is! Your big chance to wow a potential employer with your amazing CV! But are you guilty of oversharing and giving just too much information on your CV that legally you don’t need to provide or has little relevance to the position?

I think we all tend to go a little overboard when we’re trying to impress and gain an interview. But when you next come to spruce up your application, here’s four things to leave off your CV.

Unnecessary Personal information
All your CV requires by way of personal information is your contact details. Make sure you include your address, telephone number and email address – nothing else.

Gone are the days that candidates needed to include their date of birth, gender or marital status. Due to anti-discrimination laws employers would rather not have this information included on your CV as much of this data is deemed irrelevant to your ability to do the job.

References
Legally, references can only be sought after an offer of employment has been formally made and that you, the candidate, have given your explicit consent. Imagine the surprise of your current employer if another company that doesn’t follow these legal guidelines contacts them for a reference?

You won’t exactly be popular in the office if this occurs, so it’s always best to just put ‘References will be made available upon request’ in this section to safeguard yourself against this happening.

Salary or salary expectations
This is an area best discussed at the interview stage for a number of reasons. If you go in too high, the employer might think they can’t afford you and move on to the next CV. Too low and they may come to the conclusion that you lack the right skills and experience.

Salary negotiations are a delicate matter and you also need to consider any additional perks or benefits the role offers. With this in mind, it’s a good idea to leave this off your CV.

Lifestyle & Hobbies
Having hobbies or membership to clubs or organisations is great – but are they relevant to the job? In most cases your annual subscription to the local golf club won’t have any bearing on the position on offer but be aware that if you offer up details of what you like to do in your spare time, you might be subject to certain ideas on your character being made.

If you do voluntary work and you feel this enhances your CV, then great! By all means include it, but just be aware that this information doesn’t need to be included unless you feel it is particularly relevant.