BUILD YOUR CV
Your CV is a snapshot of your past experiences, education, and skills. Making a great first impression with a neat, succinct, and error-free CV greatly increases your chances of being shortlisted for an interview. Here at Jo Thompson Recruitment, we recommend the following tips to land your CV in the ‘yes’ pile:
THE BASICS
Ensure that your CV has all the basics such as your full name and contact information, your education, qualifications, a summary of your work experience, key achievements, and any volunteering activities you would like to include. This is a factual document of your career history to date.
While you can include a picture on your CV, we advise that you save your professional photo for your LinkedIn profile. Make sure your photo is business professional, with appropriate attire and overall appearance.
PRESENTATION
Remember, this is factual information that a recruiter can assess at a quick glance – so make sure your CV is kept to a maximum of two pages, and that your most important information is presented in the upper middle area of the first page.
Along with keeping to a two-page limit, be mindful of how much colour is on your CV. For creative roles such as graphic design, recruiters might expect CVs to have bold colours and layouts; but for the majority of positions, a crisp and simple layout with minimal or muted colour is the best way to keep recruiters’ attention as they rifle through hundreds of CVs.
TAILOR YOUR CV
Scan the job description for skills you can satisfy and experience that aligns with your past positions. If the employer lists a job requirement you do not possess, write about transferrable skills you can apply to that aspect of the role. You do not have to rewrite your CV for every job you apply for, but tailor the details to be relevant.
Pay attention to the language you use when describing work history and experiences, using active and assertive language such as “managed,” “achieved,” and “supported.” Keep these verbs diverse and be careful not to repeat yourself!
Try out our online CV Builder to create yourself a perfect CV today!