Make It Easy to Scan
Employers have so many CVs to get through, they won’t read anything in detail.
They want to scan through it to make sure you have the right experience and qualifications.
Make it easy for them to do that by using bold headings for the different sections and use bullet points to get your experience across.
Don’t Clutter the Page
You don’t need to include your whole life story! Keep the page as de-cluttered as possible.
Opt for the more important things about why you’re perfect for the job. Once you get through to the interview, you can share more and make the employer really want to hire you.
Avoid the Buzzwords
At one point using works like “organised” and “time management” were words that everyone needed to use but they’ve now lost their emphasis.
Instead of telling the employer wants to see the things you’ve gained and how you did it.
Did you help create a best-selling product? Did you lead a team of individuals?
Include Personal Accomplishments
All your accomplishments don’t have to be work-related, as long as they link to the position you are applying for.
If you have personal accomplishments that will make you stand out from the other candidates, use them to your advantage and include them on your CV.
However, really think about whether your personal accomplishments are worth adding; sometimes they just create more words for the employer to disregard.
For example, you could add a blog address if you have something that is on the subject and is popular with people.
Avoid Long CVs
Employers don’t want to flick through page after page so keep it short. Get all the information you need into two sheets of A4 at the most.
This means really making sure the information is relevant to the position you’re applying for.
Tailor Your CV for the Position
You could change your CV for each position that you apply. This means that it is tailored for that specific role.
The benefit of doing this is that you only include the skills and qualifications you need within the document instead of pointless information that would have been useful for something else.
This takes more time but does increase the chances of getting the job.
Proofread Before You Send Off
Nothing makes a bad first impression worse than poor spelling and grammar. It makes you look uneducated and like you don’t care about your work. This isn’t good for the employer!
Proofread your CV before you send it in. If you’re not the best with spelling, grammar and punctuation, ask a friend or family member to do that for you.