What can really make the difference and get you an interview.
How do I write a good CV? What do I put on a CV? How do I make a CV stand out? These are the questions on every job hunter’s lips. You might be starting from scratch and searching online for CV examples. Or just looking to make sure yours is up to date and looking as good as it can.
Whatever your CV situation, it’s helpful to remember the golden rules. They can make the difference and help ensure you hear or see the words, “we’d like to invite you for an interview”. Here’s our five top tips that every CV writer should follow. After all, you want that dream job, don’t you?
Make it easy to read
The number one CV rule
Your CV needs to grab their attention straight away. The best way to do that is to make it easy to read. It’s like a good advertisement in the street: it should catch your eye and keep you focussed on what it says. It also makes you look better and shows a very basic, but valuable skill as an employee.
Keep your sections short and break them up if needed into easy chunks. Start with a summary that will knock their socks off and keep them reading. Use clear headings that direct them to each part of the CV. Print it out and lay it down on the table. Is it still easy to read? Do you want to pick it up?
Speak their language
Talk the talk and get noticed
This can make a huge difference. Tailor your CV for not just the role, but the employer as well. They will see that you really want to get to the next stage. Do your research, check their website. Look at what gets the employer excited. You won’t always get everything you need from the job advert.
Tell them what they want to hear. Look at the top skills on the role profile and match the order of the skills on your CV. If it matters to them, it should matter to you. Avoid unnecessary jargon and don’t isolate the reader with acronyms and terms they wouldn’t know. Use plain language.
Present and sell yourself
Look as good as you are
This is important in both design and writing. The way your CV is laid out and presented, can greatly reflect on you as a person. Recruitment agencies can sometimes use digital forms to dismantle CVs, so go direct if you want to hold on to that amazing first impression you worked hard on.
Keep your CV neat and tidy. Oversized bullets and numbers on lists look terrible. And edit your writing so that it all follows the same style throughout. Make sure your font size is not too small to read, or so big that it starts wasting space. And don’t use images, that’s what portfolios are for.
Be concise and clear
Stay on track. Only say what matters.
Everyone has their own idea about CV length. Some say one page, others say two. It’s very unlikely that anything longer will be properly read. The employer will simply start scanning, and that means they could miss something important. Keep it relevant and prioritise recent skills and experience.
Always stay concise. Your CV should tell a story of your life and career. And like every good story, it should be easy to follow. Signpost the reader as to where your skills and experience are. Don’t elaborate unless you need to. Keep sentences short, and if you can use a list, it’s always a good idea.
Check it with a fine-tooth comb
Don’t throw away your chances over a mistake
A silly typo can make or break whether someone invites you for an interview. It reflects poorly on you as a potential candidate, and some employers reject a CV with a mistake. Can you imagine missing out because you rushed sending it over? What a wasted opportunity that would be.
Go over it as many times as you need until you’re satisfied it’s error free. We’re talking not just facts about yourself, but fine details like grammar and spelling. The best thing to do is to give it to someone you know and trust to look at carefully. Fresh eyes can spot something you may not have.