EXPLORE CAREERS
10 Steps to a successful CV
- Keep it real!!
Usually a CV should be no more than two pages – and that’s 2 pages of A4 paper! Employers spend an average 8 seconds looking at any one CV, and a sure-fire way of landing yourself on the no pile is to tell them your life story. Keep it interesting, to the point and keep something back for the interview.
- Tailor it
We’ve all done it, sent the same CV out to lots of employers to save time. No! take the time to change your CV for each job that you apply for. Research the company and use the job advert to work out EXACTLY what skills you should point out to them. They will appreciate the obvious effort.
- Include a personal statement
Don’t just assume an employer will see how your experience relates to their job. This should be reflected in your covering letter as well.
- Don’t leave gaps
We are a cynical bunch and leaving obvious gaps on your CV immediately makes employers suspicious – and they won’t give you the benefit of the doubt. If you’ve been out of work it can be a worry but just put a positive spin on it. Did you do a course, volunteer work or develop soft skills such as communication, teamwork or project management? If so shout about it!!
- Keep it current
You should keep your CV up-to-date whether you’re looking for a job or not. Every time something significant occurs in your career, record it so you don’t later forget something that could be important.
- The error of your ways
Employers DO look for mistakes on your CV and of they find them it makes you look bad. With most employers experiencing massive volumes of applicants right now, giving them the excuse to dismiss your application because of avoidable errors is not going to help you secure an interview. “If you’re unsure then use a spellchecker and ask someone else to double-check what you’ve written.
- Tell the truth
Everyone lies on their CV right? NO! STOP! Blatant lies on your CV can land you in a whole heap of trouble when it comes to employers checking your background and references.
- The maths
This may sound dull but by backing up your achievements with numbers it makes selling yourself much easier. When writing your work history, don’t just say that you increased sales by 70% over a 6 month period. Get it? Big numbers are especially good.
- Make it look good
We live in a world where image is everything, and that goes for your CV. Take some time to pretty it up....use bullet points and keep sentences short.
- Make it keyword friendly
If you’ve uploaded your CV to a jobsite so recruiters can find you, keywords are very important. Job titles and job buzzwords will help a search engine pick out your CV from the pile. Confused? Don’t be. A marketing candidate might mention SEO (Search Engine Optimization), direct marketing and digital marketing among their experience and skills for example...If you’re not sure, have a search online and see what words are commonly mentioned when you input your job title.
