Never has it been more important to get your CV right. Even though we are in an age where things move faster and our dependence on digital technology in recruitment grows, CV's remain crucial when job hunting. Your LinkedIn profile might be great - but you will still always need to make sure your CV is outstanding because social media and working at a permanently frantic pace has left us all with a bit of attention deficit when it comes to reading documents.
Keep it concise
Not long ago, Recruiter.co.uk posted an article highlighting points you might want to consider when reviewing your own CV. According to their research, almost a third (32%) of 194 UK employers surveyed claimed they spend one minute or less reviewing a CV, while 14% per cent spent 30 seconds or less. Around a quarter (23%) also said they had uncovered a lie on a CV in the past year. As experienced and busy recruiters we pretty much agree with those figures. We can see very quickly if a a CV has got what it takes to make us give the candidate a call. Typically, for every role a recruiter advertises they will receive up to 100 applications - so here's our guide to help you rise above the rest.
How to create a standout CV
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Keep it clean and tidy - don't over 'design' it. We just want the information
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No long paragraphs of narrative
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Be specific - key skills in bullet points are great
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Use a font type and size that is easy to read
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Proof read it - several times - and then ask someone else to do it for you. There is no point in claiming to have excellent attention to detail if you send in a CV with spelling mistakes
A good structure
The best way to keep your CV concise is set it out in a sensible order.
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Personal info - a paragraph about yourself ( you can include interests here - just not too many!)
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Work history - working back from your most recent role
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Education - again start with your most recent. No need to go into detail about GCSE subjects and passes. Any professional or higher level education qualifications are going to be of most interest.
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References - name your referees if you can, otherwise state that references will be made available upon request
Don't forget
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Accompany with a good 'covering' email - not a six page document; just a couple of paragraphs about you & your interest in the role
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Don't include large blocks of text that are difficult to read
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Definitely don't include exact text from the job ad - it's a very good idea to tailor your CV to a role, but in a subtle way
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Make sure you don't have an unprofessional sounding email address
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2 pages is plenty - if you cannot work out how to get your CV 'down' to this size, do give us a call. All of our consultants have great experience with CV writing and are always on hand to share this advice and expertise with our candidates
So if you're looking for a new role, take some time this weekend and revisit your CV. Keep these tips in mind, send us your latest and lets see if we can get you that dream job.
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