Introduction
A CV is a critical component of your job application and career development. It serves as a tool to promote your skills and achievements and provides employers with an overview of your professional history. A well-prepared CV will help you stand out from the rest of the applicants who are chasing after the same job.
The format of your CV is also very important because it gives recruiters an insight into what sort of person you are. If you want to get that dream position, then make sure that everything on your CV is clear and concise—and avoid spelling mistakes!
1. The first thing a potential employer will see on your CV is your details
The first thing a potential employer will see on your CV is your details. Your name, address, phone number, and email address should be at the top of the page. Additionally, if you have a LinkedIn profile, you can include it in your statement.
2. Your contact information should be clear and consistent
Your contact information should be clear and consistent. Make sure you include your full name, email address, and phone number. It’s also a good idea to include your LinkedIn profile URL if you have one.
3. A recruiter won’t read your CV for longer than 30 seconds
Recruiters will spend about 30 seconds on your CV before deciding whether or not to call you for an interview.
That’s true whether you’re applying for a job in marketing, sales, or accounting. So how do you get their attention?
You need to use keywords from the job description in your CV and cover letter. This is called keyword optimization, which is just another way of saying that your resume needs to match up with what recruiters are looking for so they can see that “this candidate has exactly what we need!”
4. Bullet points in a list form, with short sentences and one-line descriptions underneath every job, are easy to scan.
Bullet points in a list form, with short sentences and one-line descriptions underneath every job, are easy to scan. This makes it easy for recruiters to quickly get an idea of what skills you have and if they want to read more about your experience.
For example:
Project manager (November 2016 – Present)
- Manage all aspects of project delivery from start to finish, including budgeting, scheduling, risk management, and resource allocation.
- Oversaw the design process for a new website redesign project.
- Interviewed many developers about their experience with web design work and portfolios.
If you’re not sure how many bullet points or sentences should be included in your CV or resume then think about how best you can explain yourself in as few words as possible – keeping it down to one line per job will make sure that your CV doesn’t become too long!
5. Make sure you name each section clearly, so a recruiter knows exactly what the section is about.
You should use a consistent format, font, layout, and style for each section. This will make it easier for recruiters to quickly scan your CV and see what information they need to know about you. For example:
- The header of your CV can be in bold or italics and should include your name and contact details (email address/phone number).
- Your education history should be listed under this header in reverse chronological order with each education provider’s name listed underneath its relevant year(s) of study.
- Your work experience can also be listed under this header in reverse chronological order with each employer’s name listed underneath its relevant year(s) of employment.
If you have more than three employers refer back to step #3 above about repeating employers on the same line when necessary so that no one gets left out! For example: “Employed at ABC Corporation from January 2016 – March 2017 as a temp receptionist/data entry clerk; employed at DEF Corporation from April 2018 – present as Project Manager overseeing multiple projects simultaneously”
6. Choose the right format for your CV
Choosing the right format for your CV is just as important as making sure it’s free of spelling mistakes. It’s also important that you choose a format that is appropriate to the industry you are working in, as well as one which makes it easy to read.
Avoid using colors, graphics, or images on your CV if you can help it; these things may look pretty but they can make it difficult for others to read what you’ve written down. You should also ensure that whatever font size and style you choose is easy-to-read too – not everyone has perfect vision!
7. Structure your CV in a manner that makes it easy for recruiters to find what they’re looking for quickly.
- Use a logical structure.
- Use headings and subheadings to group information together.
- Use bullet points instead of long paragraphs of text.
- Keep paragraphs short and to the point.
- Use a consistent font throughout your CV so that it is easy for recruiters to read and view quickly, even if they are scanning over it at speed or in a hurry on their mobile devices.
- Make sure that your CV uses a consistent layout – this includes spacing between lines, the layout of tables/graphs/images, etc., the order in which information appears on each page, the font size used in parts like headers and footers, etc.
8. Avoid spelling and grammatical mistakes.
- You can use a spellchecker for this, but it won’t catch everything. If you need to, get a friend to proofread your CV.
- Make sure your CV is clear and concise – it should be easy for the employer to understand what you have done and what you can do for them.
- Don’t forget the formatting – make sure that all the pages are in A4 size, with 1cm margins on each side. The font should be Times New Roman 12pt (or similar), with double line spacing between paragraphs, and single line spacing within paragraphs.
- Don’t forget about using bullet points – they help break up long passages of the text so they don’t become overwhelming!
9. It’s important to prepare a well-structured CV.
A well-structured CV is important because it:
- is easy to read. A reader should be able to skim the document, identify key points and understand them without having to read everything in detail.
- is easy to scan for information. When time is short, you’ll want a CV that can be quickly scanned and understood at a glance (in fact, some employers may only have 5 minutes before hiring someone).
- is easy to find information in. Even if you manage to convince an employer that your skills are worth hiring for, if they can’t figure out where those skills are on your CV then maybe you’re not qualified after all!
- is easy enough for anyone who isn’t familiar with the topic area or industry jargon used within it – including recruiters working outside of their industries or educational backgrounds (e.g., someone with a degree in English Literature looking at CVs from someone who studied Software Engineering).
Conclusion
We hope you’ve found this article useful, and that it has given you some insight into the importance of preparing a good CV.
Writing a good CV takes time and effort, but the result will be worth it! You’ll have an easier time finding that perfect job if your CV is clear, concise, and well-structured.
