What separates a good CV from a winning CV?

The $64,000 question. At a time when recruiters are seeing more CVs flood their inbox than ever before, how do you make sure YOUR CV knocks the socks off the rest? Let’s lay it out for you...

AND TALKING OF LAYOUT...

Keep your CV as simple and clean as possible. Forget different fonts, colours, columns or tables and use clear headings to denote each section. Recruiters want to be able to spot relevant information quickly so make it as easy as possible for them.

AND TALKING OF RELEVANT…

Great CVs are set out to reflect a specific job vacancy. Recruiters can tell whether a CV is generic or has been tailored to the job they are recruiting for. And if they conclude you haven’t taken the time to adapt your CV to their role, you can say goodbye to reaching the second round.

So, go through the job description line by line and prepare your CV to demonstrate your relevant experience. And whilst you’ll want to include some of your previous duties, it is equally important to share career achievements to highlight your added value. If you can quantify them (e.g. I led a team of 10 or I increased turnover by 20%), then all the better.

AND TALKING OF VALUES…

Take the time to peruse the website of the company you’re interested in and gain an understanding of their core values. If they talk about teamwork, integrity, entrepreneurship etc., then make sure you reflect experiences that highlight your commitment to them. Because recruiters want to know that you’re the right ‘fit’ for their company.

AND TALKNG OF FIT...

Make sure you ‘fit’ your CV into two pages. No longer. In the States, it’s pretty standard for a CV to be just the one page so I’m being generous suggesting two! But this forces you to keep your CV focused – only including information that will really make an impact.

AND TO FINISH ON IMPACT…

What do you think recruiters do if your CV has the intended impact? Invite you to the second round?

Not necessarily. They might go to LinkedIn to check if there’s any discrepancies between your CV and profile, and to see who you’re connected to. Some companies might even visit your other social media platforms to make sure you’re an ‘appropriate’ hire. So please, don’t ruin your fantastic new CV by forgetting to ensure your ‘social media house’ is in order.

NOW GO GET THAT JOB!