British workers are missing out on top jobs because of vague, irrelevant CVs.

Questioning hundreds of workers and staff, CV specialists iProfile.org found that employees habitually suffer from ‘achievement amnesia’ and neglect to list relevant successes in the work-place.

Nearly three-quarters of employers (73%) rejected candidates because of underplayed CVs and half of companies (51%) said that if staff sold themselves effectively they could command at least 5% on top of a proposed salary.

A third of staff said they could not remember professional achievements more than six months old.

According to iProfile’s research, the majority of job-seekers (71%) rush their CVs, spending two hours or less detailing their achievements. 

A further 36% of candidates try to spruce up CVs with creative designs, despite the fact that most employers ignore such detail.

Karl Gregory, a CV specialist at iProfile, said, “Most people think a quirky CV style or generic responsibilities are what employers are looking for, but the research shows that, actually, the specific achievements of individuals are what make the difference.

“Candidates regularly undersell their achievements – addressing this issue could significantly boost people’s chances of getting through to the interview stage, as well as getting the salary they deserve.”