Having worked in recruitment for over 20 years I have seen a wide range of CVs. The good, the bad and the mind-numbing. Here are 7 tips to help you write the best version of your CV.
1. Write for your audience. Consider who is most likely to be reading your CV and what is important to them. Write it with them in mind. If you choose to tailor your CV for a specific role, ensure you select achievements that showcase what they are looking for. Align your language to that used in the advert.
2. Make it interesting. Even in the most sensible corporate settings interesting things happen. Interesting CVs lead to interesting conversations at interview and ultimately help build rapport and make you memorable. As long as you are professional it is OK to inject some life into it.
3. Make sure your CV represents YOU and sets you apart from someone else doing the same job. Instead of using generic adjectives like accomplished, senior, experienced, think about how your colleagues would describe you and weave in some of these words. If you don’t know how they would describe you – ask them.
4. Less is more. Keep it concise. I have seen CVs from one page long up to an eleven pager (gulp). Two to three pages would be my recommendation for a professional / leadership role. Focus on your outputs i.e. the things you have personally delivered in the role that have positively impacted the business, rather than lots of context.
5. Beware the auto screening. Some companies use automated tools to upload your CV to their Applicant Tracking System (ATS), or in some cases your CV may have to pass an initial screen. Ensure you include relevant key words which you can match to the advert text if you are applying online.
6. Leave out a title saying ‘Curriculum Vitae’ or even ‘CV’, also a line saying ‘References available on request’. Both are obvious and you can use those two lines for better things. Avoid competency speak, abbreviations, acronyms and internal company jargon. Simple language is more impactful.
7. Get feedback when you have drafted your CV from someone who knows you in a professional setting. People often forget some of the best things they have delivered. Also ask someone to proof-read for you and flag any typos or errors you have missed.
Sign up to Positivity Bites to access your free resources, including my CV Guide, which includes helpful information about the best CV structure.
If you would like some support with writing your CV ahead of an important application or interview, do get in touch.
Photo by Bench Accounting on Unsplash