Hooray!
The sun is set to shine this weekend, but if you are job hunting, maybe all you have to look forward to is 48 hours of upgrading your CV.
Don’t worry. We have you covered! Perhaps a little fun in the sun is on the cards after all.
These are our quick CV wins. Follow our top tips and give your CV a facelift without spending hours at your screen.
Top CV Wins
Ensure your personal details are current and up to date.
You’d be amazed at how many job seekers forget to include their contact details. Make sure yours are visible, accurate and within the main body of the CV. CMS databases don’t like text boxes. It doesn’t matter how well qualified you are if you the recruitment partner or hiring manager can’t get hold of you.
Tailor your personal profile.
Your personal profile (or statement) is a short paragraph that sits beneath your name. The onus here is on short…between 3-5 lines. It is crucial that you tailor your personal statement to the job or jobs you are applying for. Within it, you should use the keywords in the job description to highlight how your skills and qualities make you the best fit for the role.
If you are struggling, why not read our full advice on how to write your personal statement here.
Revisit the employment history section.
Outline your previous jobs, internships and work experience here. List your experience in reverse chronological order as your recent role is the most relevant to the employer.
If your CV is fairly up to date, you probably won’t have much to do here. You should include the relevant details of each job; the employer name, the dates from and to, and your job title. You should also include a line that summarises the role.
Use bullet points to outline your key responsibilities, skills, and achievements. Think about using powerful verbs and data to support each claim if you can. This will showcase the contributions you have made.
If your role means you undertake many duties, it may be a good idea to only include those relevant to the role you are applying for. Use the keywords in the job description to help you here.
If you have any jobs over 10 years old, it is OK to delete these from your CV.
Education and qualifications.
This should mirror the ‘Employment history’ section.
Your academic qualifications should be listed in reverse chronological order. Include the name of the institutions and the dates you were there, followed by the qualifications and grades you achieved.
If you have a degree, you could list a few of the most relevant modules, assignments or projects underneath. But keep it relevant to the job you are applying for.
For professionals that are a little further along in their careers, or have many additional certificates in their locker, you should also layout your industry-specific achievements.
The additional sections.
Adding some additional information about you may help to strengthen your CV and highlight your skills. Sections like hobbies and interests and key skills may help to show off your soft skills, such as team involvement or community leadership.
Look at the formatting.
Things to remember:
- The standard length of a CV is 2 pages in the UK. For Head of roles or seasoned professionals you may need to go over this.
- Use bold headings to ensure an easy read.
- The digital world requires a clear font. Keep it professional and easy to read.
- The body of your CV should have a font size of between 10-12 points. Headings should be between 12-14 points.
- White space ensures your CV is easy to read and professional.
- Proofread, proofread and proofread again. Don’t spoil all your hard work with inaccuracies and typos.
You’re nearly there…In fact, you are!
Here are the things you DON’T need to worry about including on your CV.
- A headshot or photograph – There are some countries where including a photo is the norm. The UK is not one of them.
- Age and Date of Birth – Your age doesn’t affect your ability to do the job. Under the Equality Act of 2010, it is illegal for employers to ask your age.
- Marital status or personal details – Again, your personal circumstances have no bearing on your professional ability. Since 2010 these details are protected characteristics, and it is illegal for an employer to ask about them.
Enjoy the sunshine!
If you do want some extra guidance on CV writing tips, we have some extended versions too. If you would like to go beyond the bitesize, follow the link to find them!
