Your CV is the first and, unfortunately, sometimes the only impression a future employer will have of you. It’s crucial that your CV displays you in the best light, as it’s the only glimpse of you they will get before deciding whether to give you an interview or not.
If you’re not having success with your CV, you don’t have to go back to the drawing board completely; there are small but impactful changes you can make to significantly enhance your chances of success. We asked a leading Essex recruitment agency for their top tips on simple key adjustments you can make to your CV to increase its effectiveness and land your dream role – or at least an interview for it.
Don’t Be Complacent
If you are on the job hunt you are likely sending tons of the same CVs to several employers for different job roles, which simply isn’t going to cut it. You should be tailoring your CV to each specific job application, identifying the key skills that they’re looking for and re-working your CV to show off your skills, achievements and experience, detailing why that job role is perfect for you! By adapting your CV and not sending out a ‘one-size-fits-all’ CV you will 100% increase your chances of catching a future employer’s attention.
Make A Good First Impression (Visually)
If you got an interview you would scrub up well, put on your finest business wear and practise a firm handshake. The same effort of presentation should go into presenting your CV. In person, and on your CV, you want to look the part and appear as professional as possible. Make sure your CV follows a clean, professional format! You want to include clear headings, bullet points, and use an appropriate font – anything to make your CV appear as professional and easy to read as possible.
To clean up your CV you can:
- Send it in a PDF format – looks a lot smarter than a bog-standard Word document.
- Explore different formats, your CV doesn’t have to be boring and blend in. You’ll want it to stand out, even look at Microsoft pre-made templates and use them. Anything to catch the eye of your employer.
- Decrease your page margins – more space to boast about you.
Incorporate the Right Keywords
A lot of large companies now use Automatic Tracking Systems (ATS), to filter CVs based on keywords. This means that if your CV doesn’t have the relevant keywords, the CV won’t even be read by a person. To increase your chances of passing through the initial screening, include industry-specific keywords throughout your CV. To find the relevant keys words, scan industry specific documents and articles, looking for relevant or powerful keywords. Another way is to find and read sample resumes for similar positions available online and note what keywords they are using.
Your CV is the one time it pays to be a show-off, so put your best foot forward with the help of Pursuit Group today.
Read more:
