20th Oct 2009 - Top 10 tips to help make your CV stand out…
Top 10 CV Writing Tips
In this competitive job market everything can help…
1- Spelling and grammar
The most common mistake and yet the most important thing to get right to make a good first impression. Get your CV checked and checked again
2 - Where to start…
Recruiters want to know what you’ve done recently, so list your work experience in reverse chronological order and place your educational achievements after your work experience.
3- Keep it concise
The average recruiter spends only a few minutes scanning a CV, so keep it to two pages or three at most for those in senior positions and attach a deal sheet if possible.
4- Formatting
Remember what looks great on your PC screen might not display well elsewhere so keep formatting to a minimum. Recruitment consultancies often use their own templates, so make sure your CV is easy to copy and paste, and preferably in Word.
5- Specify the key details
Great project manager, good communicator, dedicated employee – all great skills but worthless unless you demonstrate what you achieved. Ensure everything you say is quantified by specifying the actions you took and the results and/or benefits.
6- Explain gaps in your CV
Your CV should read as a continuous, chronological flow of activities, so make sure you explain any gaps such as travelling, maternity leave, sabbaticals etc.
7- Redundancy
In the current economy, stating that you were made redundant doesn’t reflect badly on you. And if you don’t include it the reader might assume you were fired.
8- Exclude irrelevant information
If you’re unsure whether to include something, ask yourself: does this impact my ability to do the job? If no, leave it off. This includes: age, gender, marital and parental status and religion.
9- Interests and hobbies
Although your hobbies and activities may be really interesting, unless they’re relevant to the role or demonstrate a particular skill, keep this section to a minimum.
10- More than one version of your CV
Best kept secret - every role is different, so tailor your CV to that role. Go through the job spec and emphasise your relevant skills and experience on your tailored CV.
Best of Luck!
We hope our Top Ten CV Writing Tips helps
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