Tip for successful CV writing
- Show what makes you unique
For every job you apply for you could be up against hundreds of other candidates so you need to make sure you stand out. Employers don’t just buy skills, they buy solutions, so show how can you make the company money and how can you resolve the problems that they have.
- Choose a clear layout
Employers spend around 20 to 30 seconds scanning your CV so it needs to remain clutter-free and easy to read. The last thing a recruiter wants to do is to go hunting for the information that they are looking for so don’t hide it amongst an array of elaborate graphics. Try to use a consistent font all the way through, with bold and larger font sizes to bring out the headings. The layout should be as simple as possible and make use of white space, rather than lines or graphics, to separate sections.
- Tailor your CV to your audience
It may sound like a time consuming process, but making the effort to tailor your CV to suit the requirements of each particular job that you are applying for can greatly increase your chances of securing an interview.
- Keep it error free
It is deceptively easy to make mistakes on your CV and exceptionally difficult to repair the damage once an employer gets it. As well as checking your spelling and grammar, make sure your employment dates match up and that you’ve provided the right phone number and email address.
- Keep your CV up-to-date
When you put together a CV it’s often difficult remembering the projects you have been involved with and the achievements you have made. To avoid missing important pieces of information out, revisit your CV every month adding anything of importance, and cutting any information that is no longer required or relevant.
