Not sure where to start? Don’t worry, here are our top tips to get your CV looking sharp.

It is now more crucial than ever as a job seeker to ensure your CV is in top shape to stand out from the crowd. This might cause a headache for lots of people out there, some with no experience of having ever needed one before and others lost in the mire of do’s and don’ts when it comes to CV building roles.

First impressions are everything!

It is well documented that on average, an employer will take just a few seconds scanning your CV to determine whether it is worth more their time to read on.

Seems crazy right? So how do you give yourself the best chance to catch their eye?

First things first, keep the formatting simple. Strong lines and good margins are critical. Maintain consistent font, tense and style throughout and ensure you make good use of bullet points for listing duties / projects or key information. Bulky paragraphs should be avoided.

Try and avoid adding photos or any graphics (unless the role demands) and don’t feel obliged to stick to the myth of the 2 page rule. I know far more employers who would far rather see a CV with well presented and succinct information fall onto a 3rd or in some circumstances a 4th page, rather than review a CV that has clearly missed information out so to meet that rule.

Ticking off the essentials:

• Every CV should start with a personal statement / summary. This is your first opportunity to tell the employer why they should hire you so hit them with a short summary of your intent, why you are interested in the role and what they can expect to see on your CV.
• Your employment history. The most important section on your CV so try not to scrimp on the detail you add here. Document in chronological order (most recent to oldest) your job history and relevant experience. Bullet point formatting helps keep information clear and concise here.
• Achievements.
• Education / Training / Qualifications.
• Key Skills.
• Contact details. It is less common to find someone add their address to their CV with data protection and GDPR legislation changes, but adding a town is handy along with a link to your LinkedIn profile if you have one (you may wish to consider creating one if you don’t). Lastly, don’t forget to provide a valid phone number and email address to reach you on, you would be amazed how often this is missed out!

Don’t be scared of having more than one version of your CV.

I am constantly advising candidates that this is OK. In a market where job seekers have a range of transferable skills attractive to several markets it would be tricky to have one CV that manages to successfully reflect this. The key thing here is to make sure that you alter the CV for each application in order to reflect the key skills required for the role.

Be careful not to assume your audience always knows what you are talking about.

In the art of CV writing, it is important not to make any assumptions that your reader will automatically know what you do based on basic information (i.e. only a job title) We live in an age where a specific job title in one business can hold many different responsibilities to another so it is important not to go light on detail here. Some would say missing detail out suggests a lack of care or interest, so it is important to avoid this at all costs.

If you have delivered a complex project successfully then this is your shop window to promote it, do not leave it out! Remember balance is needed though, so proceed with caution. It is important you present the information in a succinct fashion without writing war and peace.

Don’t forget those softer skills.

In today’s job market, there is no doubt that personal attributes play a part in a employers decision to hire as they try and balance finding the right person for the job with ensuring they will blend well with the culture of the business. The best way to demonstrate this is through talking briefly of your hobbies / interests. It does not have to be a large section but the typical things you will find here will be charitable roles or sporting interests. Adding this in has been divisive over the years but personally I would recommend doing so, it might just be enough to make you stand out.

Writing your CV takes time.

Like anything done well, proper care and attention goes a long way. I can spot a CV that has been rushed a mile off and it is a huge turn off. Your CV and how you present it reflects who you are, so you really need to dedicate time and effort to get it right.

Remember, it is not a static document that you need to restart any time you look for a job, nor is it something you just continually add to with each role without real consideration for your career objectives, it should have space to change focus as your career develops.

Remember to be authentic!

Following the tips above should provide you with the building blocks to create a CV that helps you stand out. But if I can leave you with one final piece of advice, it would be to avoid over embellishing your achievements. Promoting your career highlights is to be encouraged of course but be wary of making bold claims that cannot be substantiated.

If you would like more detailed and specific support, please do get in touch. Ensuring your CV is in top condition is an investment and not something to cut corners with.

Remember there is help out there!