When it comes to hiring leaders, a polished Curriculum Vitae (CV) or Resume is often your first look through the window of a candidate’s career. It is the first step in understanding a leadership candidate, and it should be a taste of your accomplishments and career history. Aim to describe enough to prompt deeper questioning, without leaving a bad taste in a recruiter or hiring manager’s mouth.

Leadership roles demand not only technical expertise but also consistency, integrity, and impact. Spotting red flags early in the review stage can save organisations from problem hires. Here are some points you can address on paper to ensure your CV is not overlooked:

Short Tenures Without Explanation

Frequent moves aren’t automatically bad — some industries value adaptability — but leaders who leave every role after 12 months raise questions. A pattern of short tenures can suggest difficulties with cultural fit, an inability to deliver results, or a tendency to move on when challenges arise. Look for context: contract roles, organisational restructures, or industry disruptions can provide valid reasons.

Lack of Clear Achievements

A strong leader’s CV should show more than responsibilities; it should demonstrate outcomes. Statements like “responsible for a team of 20” doesn’t tell you much. Instead, you want to see measurable impact: “led a team of 20 to increase customer satisfaction scores by 15%”. A lack of tangible results could indicate a leader who manages rather than leads.

Overly Generic Language

Phrases such as “dynamic leader,” “results-oriented,” or “strategic thinker” without evidence can be filler rather than substance. Effective leaders illustrate those traits through examples — not clichés. If a CV is filled with buzzwords and light on detail, it’s worth probing deeper.

Gaps or Vague Dates

Gaps in employment aren’t inherently negative, but unexplained ones are. Leaders should be able to account for time spent out of the workforce, whether through study, career breaks, or consulting projects. Similarly, watch for vague date ranges (“2019–2020”) which may disguise shorter, less stable stints.

Inflated Titles or Overlap

Be cautious if titles escalate too quickly — for example, from Coordinator to Director within a year — without clear evidence of scope or accountability. Also, overlapping roles at multiple organisations can be a sign of overstatement or misrepresentation. Leadership CVs should show credibility and a logical career progression.

Absence of People Leadership Detail

A true leadership CV should highlight how someone led, not just that they did. Look for detail on team size, diversity of functions managed, and leadership style. A CV that glosses over these areas may suggest limited hands-on leadership experience.