Is your CV job ready?
By following a few simple steps, creating a compelling CV can be easy.
April 1, 2020
You know the feeling. You want to create a compelling CV that will shine light on your achievements and get your foot in the door for that next step in your career, but you don't know where to start.
You’d rather avoid the complexities of finessing your CV, and because of frustration or lack of know-how, you end up with a document that doesn't quite represent the best version of yourself that you'd intended to sell.
However, by understanding the purpose of a CV and what readers are looking for, in addition to following some basic content guidelines, you can create a compelling CV relatively easily.
Purpose: In a nutshell, the purpose of a CV is to get you an interview. To do this, the reader must be able to find out quickly and easily what you have done, where you have done it and over what period.
What does a good CV look like?
Recruiters and employers typically receive a large volume of responses - which they need to sort through - so your first objective is to pass their scanning exercise. By following these straightforward principles, you can increase your chances of making the short-list:
- Make sure your CV is easy to read with a clean and consistent layout
- Keep your CV length between 3 and 5 pages
- Write in clear, concise terms using active words such as accomplished, created, enhanced, launched, negotiated, etc.
- Give examples of being a "results orientated professional" rather than just saying it. Use numbers or percentages to illustrate your success
- Avoid the use of pronouns, e.g., I, we, they
- Don't rely on the spelling and grammar check, carefully review the content yourself
What information should a CV provide?
The key for content is to not overdo it. Prospective employers don't need to know everything about you and your past, only what's relevant for the job they're trying to fill so tailor your CV to fit those descriptions, requirements and experiences where applicable.
- Personal contact details: Include your name, address, contact number, email address and links to any online profiles you may have, such as LinkedIn
- Professional objective: Highlight your key characteristics and show that you align to the advertised role, that you’re willing to work productively and contribute valuable skills to the prospective company
- Career summary: Include a summary chart at the front containing dates, previous employer names and positions held
- Career history: Put your work history in reverse chronological order. Focus on the last ten years or three to four roles as evidence that you have put into practice the skills that you say you have. Remember to put a brief description of the company you worked for to indicate size and turnover
- Personal history: Include details of qualifications and relevant personal development activities
- Referees: Referees can be helpful for pre-interview checks, but it's up to you if you want to include them. Including "referees available on request" is somewhat redundant, so better to leave it out
- Don't include: Photographs, your age, marital status, religion, hobbies or family details. The only personal history that’s relevant is your career path, experience and qualifications
Top tips
- Insert keywords into your CV that are used in the job advertisement
- Use action words and quantify results
- Don’t provide so much information that your CV becomes irrelevant to the job
- Hit the high points and tell the truth
- Don’t rely on the spelling and grammar check!
By understanding the purpose of a CV, what readers are looking for and sticking to some simple content guidelines, you can create a compelling CV relatively easily. Keeping it easy-to-read, succinct, informative, and most importantly relevant, is the key to landing that interview.