Why Listing Duties on Your CV Isn’t Enough

One of the most common mistakes people make on their CVs is simply listing basic facts about their roles. The worst offenders are those that read like a job description – a long list of duties and responsibilities.

Let’s be clear: no one is truly interested in your duties and responsibilities.

Think about it – those duties were held by your predecessor, are currently held by you, and will likely be held by your successor. There’s nothing unique or differentiating about them. And if your CV reads like a job spec, it’s doing you a disservice.

It’s About Achievements, Not Duties

To stand out, your CV – and all your marketing collateral, including your LinkedIn profile – must be evidence-based and achievement-focused.

This also applies to interviews. You need to be able to evidence your abilities clearly and convincingly. This is where the career autobiography becomes so valuable – it’s the source of all the examples and achievements you can draw upon to strengthen your professional brand.

So, focus on achievements. And ideally, showcase them using case studies.

Use STAR-Based Case Studies

We strongly recommend using STAR-based case studies on your CV and LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn even has a dedicated section for this called Projects, which many people overlook. It’s a fantastic place to include these achievement-based examples.

However, there’s one crucial rule: your achievements must be relevant to your audience. No matter how much you enjoyed a particular project or how impressive it felt at the time, if it doesn’t resonate with the employer or align with the role, it won’t have the impact you need.

It’s Not Boasting – It’s Positioning

Many people are modest. They feel it’s inappropriate to talk about their achievements. But let’s be clear: it’s not inappropriate to professionally state your capabilities. It’s only inappropriate if you boast or exaggerate, or worse, lie.

A handful of candidates will present themselves well, and they will progress – even if others may be equally or better qualified. Why? Because they communicated their value clearly. That’s not fair, but it’s reality.

What Is a STAR Case Study?

We use case studies because they support what’s called narrative marketing – a concept rooted in storytelling. For thousands of years, humans have used stories to communicate ideas. It’s how we’re wired.

Research shows that well-told stories can release chemicals like oxytocin and cortisol, which increase trust and aid decision-making. So, when you tell a structured story about your achievements, your audience is more likely to engage and trust you.

The STAR framework is ideal for this. It stands for:

• Situation – What was happening?

• Task – What responsibility did you have?

• Actions – What did you actually do?

• Result – What was the outcome?

This structure helps you present even complex information in a clear and digestible way. And again, relevance is key. A great story that doesn’t align with the employer’s needs is still likely to be overlooked.

But Will They Have Time to Read It?

You might be thinking: “My aunt Maud told me I’ve only got 2.3 seconds to impress someone with my CV.” And there is some truth to that – during the initial screening, readers do skim quickly. But that doesn't mean you must squeeze your entire career into a few seconds.

What it does mean is that page one of your CV needs to grab attention quickly. The goal isn’t for someone to read everything at first glance, but to ensure that wherever their eyes land, they see something compelling. That’s how you avoid instant rejection.

How It All Comes Together

Take the CV Example of our MD, Matt. He’s positioning himself for a Commercial Director role. It’s stated clearly after his name and within the first sentence of his introductory section.

Yes, it’s a three-page document. Contrary to popular myth, that’s absolutely fine – if the content is strong and relevant. Over 90% of the CVs we write are three pages, sometimes longer. If length were a problem, we’d know by now.

But it’s page one that will make or break his chances.

Matt’s CV opens with:

1. A tailored personal profile, directly aligned to the target role

2. A skills summary, again specific to the commercial director brief

3. Three STAR-based case studies, chosen carefully from his career autobiography

These three sections are the most powerful part of the document. They create immediate relevance. If Matt applied for a different role tomorrow, he’d swap in three different case studies that better align with that position.

That’s how you win interviews.

Final Thoughts

A CV that simply lists your duties is not enough. To truly stand out, you need to show evidence of your achievements and present them in a way that resonates with your target audience. STAR-based case studies are the ideal way to do this.

By drawing on your career autobiography, tailoring your content, and embracing storytelling, you create a CV and LinkedIn profile that not only demonstrate what you’ve done – but show why it matters.

And in a competitive job market, that could be the difference between landing the interview… or being overlooked.