Creating a stand-out CV
It may have been a while since you last updated your CV. Rather than simply adding in your most recent roles to an old document, we recommend refreshing your CV completely to ensure you are positioned at the top of your game.
We have created a simple 12-step guide to ensure your CV really stands out for all the right reasons.
Preparation
CV Structure
Formatting your CV
Personal Details
Profile and Opening Statements
Career History
Qualification and Certifications
Referencing Academic Publications
Hobbies and Interests
References
Review
CV checklist
Please contact us to receive a free copy of the guide today. In the meantime, please read the taster below to get you started...
As you prepare to write your CV, consider the following:
What type of role are you seeking? Make sure your CV reflects your aspirations as much as your experience so far
Who will be reading your CV? A specialist recruiter? The hiring manager? HR? Ensure you tailor your CV to the audience
Once you have these basics in mind, you are ready to spend some time collating the key details such as contact information, qualifications, dates and current responsibilities. If you have a job description to hand, be sure to match your strengths and use any relevant keywords that are included.
Basic CV structure:
Start with your name as the heading
Contact information (this can also be used as your header/footer too)
Personal profile and objectives
Career history, with your most recent job first
Education
Hobbies and interests
Useful CV hints and tips:
DO
Create your CV in Microsoft Word and always send a Word version of your CV to search consultants / recruiters (they may need to upload it to a portal or add corporate branding)
Keep to two A4 pages maximum, portrait style
Use a plain white background and don’t include any decorative borders
Choose black font and a simple typeface for the main body e.g. Arial (10 points minimum) and use this font style consistently
Keep paragraphs under five lines long
Use bullet points when listing duties to provide consistent structure
Ensure you highlight your key achievements within each role
DON'T
Don’t include a photo of yourself. Photos can inspire snap judgements and add no real value.
Don’t disclose your age or date of birth. These details will be removed by any professional recruiter or HR, due to potential future discrimination accusations
Don’t include your place of birth, religion, number of children or pets. These details aren’t relevant at this stage
CV Review Checklist:
Have you avoided repetition?
Is everything relevant?
Is anything missing?
Have you focused on your strengths?
Have you used action words?
Sitting down to write your CV can feel like a daunting task. But we’re here to help…
We’ve seen thousands of CVs in our time, and we know how important a well-written CV is to really sell your skills and personality. Contact us for support.