Maybe you’ve just started your very first job/internship search or your CV may simply just need a revamp. Your CV is an important part of your job search, if not the most important of all! It’s the first thing a recruiter will come across. That’s why CV writing is crucial. It needs to be good enough to invite employers to consider you for the role, make the decision to ring you and meet the person behind it.
So, how you can you write a great CV? Our very own HR experts, with over 10 years of experience in recruiting have gathered together a few tips!
HAVE AN END GOAL
It´s much easier to write your CV when you have your end goal in mind. This way, when you are writing your CV you know you are heading in the right direction, towards the goal you would like to achieve.
To help you figure out exactly what your main goal is you can ask yourself a few questions:
· What is it that you want?
· What is your goal?
· Which roles are you interested in?
LAYOUT
Our experts recommend you start out with a profile statement at the top of your CV. It should be around 3 or 4 sentences, short and sweet! Include your current job title or the major you studied, some details about your relevant experience and what you are looking for right now.
In terms of your job experience, they recommend the use of bullet points. This way, you can get straight to the most important and relevant tasks you performed in a condensed and easy to read manner. There should be more bullet points for the more recent or more relevant roles.
HR and most recruiters don’t have the time to read lengthy paragraphs so this is a great way to grab their attention.
KEY SKILLS
Your CV should match the key skills that are highlighted in the job description. Experts recommend you add a “Key Skills” or separate section near the top of your CV. Here you can include the important skills you have. Demonstrating why you are a great match for the role!
TAILOR YOUR CV TO EACH ROLE
Each role you apply for will be different. They will all have varying job descriptions. The best way to make sure your CV matches the key skills and requirements recruiters are looking for is to look through it and make the necessary changes.
Make changes that ensure you demonstrate what the employers are asking for.
HOW LONG SHOULD IT BE?
Our HR experts tend to recommend around maximum 2 pages. However, this can depend on many individual factors, like how much experience you have.
Remember, don’t try to go into too much detail or try to bulk up your CV with information that isn’t relevant to the position. Recruiters tend to have a large number of profiles to go through and won’t dedicate time to additional information which doesn’t correspond to the job’s requirements.
CHECK, AND THEN CHECK AGAIN!
Make sure you double check your CV. You can always ask someone you trust to also check it for you. Things such as typos, errors or lack of fluency are immediately noticeable to recruiters.
If you haven’t bothered to proofread your CV it doesn’t give a good first impression to employers. There are no excuses for errors in such crucial documents.
These are few tips that will you help you write a good CV, and secure that interview! We know writing your CV can seem daunting or difficult. It can seem impossible to make sure all your skills and expertise are transmitted to the recruiter. You will probably find yourself writing and re-writing, but when you get calls for interviews it will all be worth it!
If you would like expert help in writing an effective CV our career coaching includes a CV service! Experts will help you write an eye-catching resume that meets the international standards and resonates with top companies and hiring managers. Included in this service are a bunch of templates that are sure to make your CV stand out!