Top 10 Tips For CVs
One of the more difficult challenges associated with job hunting can be to write a good CV. A majority of employers only spend a couple of seconds scanning every CV before they toss it into the ‘No’ or the ‘Yes’ pile. That might sound harsh, but don’t worry. In this article, we will be providing you with our Top 10 tips for CVs to show the entire world who you are and to land that important job interview.
1. Keep things real
A CV should normally not be any longer than two pages. On average, employers spend only about 8 seconds looking at a single CV and having a longer one can increase the chances of your CV landing in the ‘no’ pile. Keep things short and to the point, and save all of the details for your job interview.
2. Tailor your CV
All of us have done it. Cranked out the same CV and send it out to a bunch of employers at once in order to stay time. Don’t do that! Take the time and tailor your CV for each individual job that you apply for. Do some research on the company and the job advertisement to work out precisely which of your skills you should highlight. Employers appreciate these kinds of efforts. Depending on what type of role you are applying for your CV and job search will be different. Here is job search guide for senior managers and executives.
3. Include a personal statement with your CV
Don’t assume employers will recognize how your experience directly relates to their job. Use a brief personal statement instead that explains why you are the best candidate for the job. That should be reflected as well in your cover letter.
4. Don’t leave gaps
People tend to be cynical these days, and if your CV has obvious gaps it can make employers suspicious immediately – and most likely they won’t be giving you the benefit of the doubt. It can be a concern if you have been out of work. However, you just need to put a positive spin on the situation. Did you develop certain soft skills like project management, teamwork, or communication, do volunteer work, or take a course? If so, tell them about it.
5. Keep things current
Always keep your CV updated, even when you are not actively searching for a job. Each time something significant takes place in your career, make a note of it so you don’t forget anything important later on.
6. Double check your work to avoid mistakes
Employers do notice mistakes on CV, and it can make you look really bad when they find them. With so many employers these days getting so many applications having errors in your CV can give them an excuse to eliminate your application and it won’t help you with securing interviews. If you aren’t sure, use a spellchecker and also ask someone to double check for errors in your CV.
7. Tell the truth
Doesn’t everybody lie on their CV? No, they don’t, so stop it. If your CV contains blatant lies it can get you into serious trouble once it comes time for employers to check your references and background. You definitely don’t want to start working somewhere and then end up losing your job because you lied. You might get caught out in your interview if you suddenly are unable to answer questions on things you claim to know about. That can be a really awkward situation.
8. The numbers
It might sound boring but using numbers to back up your achievements makes it a lot easier to sell yourself. When detailing your work history, don’t simply say you increased sales. Instead, say that over a six-month time frame you increased sales by 60%.
9. Make your CV look good
Image is everything in the world we are currently living in, and the same is true for your CV. Make sure that you take the time to make it look nice. Keep sentences short and use bullet points. Use the graphic design technique of leaving a lot of white space around your text and in between categories so that your layout is easy on the eye.
10. Make your CV keyword friendly
Keywords are really important if you are uploading your CV onto a job site for recruiters to find you. Job buzzwords and job titles can help search engines find your CV in the pile. For example, a marketing job candidate may mention digital marketing, direct marketing, and search engine optimization among their skills and experience. If you aren’t sure how this work, do a search online and see which words are mentioned most commonly when inputting your job title.