A good CV is the key to your next job, after all it is one of the first things that people see when looking at your job application. It is often difficult to articulate your achievements in words, so it is is important to make sure that it is a clear as possible when someone reviews your CV. Therefore you need to give yourself every possible chance to get your dream job.
Here are some tips for having the best CV and to give yourself a fighting chance of getting your application noticed.
Get your CV written professionally
Let’s face it, there are many people that don’t have the necessary skills to articulate their best achievements, even though they may be professionally very sound. Therefore a professional CV writing service may be a great first step for those looking to get their CV done right. These services are great because they understand how CVs should look after having dealt with many thousands of them before. It also gives you more time to focus more on your job search rather than having to spend time writing and finding the best way to get things looking great.
Keep it short
One important thing to remember when writing a CV is that the person viewing it doesn’t ever have more than a minute or so to look over it, so naturally your CV needs to be noticeable and short. Don’t be afraid to leave out some content because this is something that you can always bring up in an interview and you definitely need to keep some cards up your sleeve come interview time.
Get someone else to read it
It is often very difficult to write CVs because there is naturally a personal connection. After all you are writing down all your professional skills and your achievements. This is no easy feat and sometimes it is great to get some outside feedback in order to make sure that you have the right content and structure. Friends and family should be the logical first step. It is also a good idea to get a career savvy person to review your CV for you and they can suggest some things they think can be improved.
Understand industry standard words
It is extremely important to understand that words that are frequently used in your industry are sought after by employers and many HR departments often use software to search through CVs and filter the ones with the right competencies and skills. It is, therefore, important to understand these words and to use them.
You may put something in your CV that equates to these types of words, but doesn’t actually match the industry standard word and your CV may be overlooked as a result.
Work on formatting
Formatting is one great way to make your CV look good and professional. Having a consistent format or theme will make your CV look like it was professionally created. This format will depend a lot on the industry that you are applying for. For example, if you are a business professional you may want to be more structured with your format in comparison to a designer who will most likely have some graphical elements and structure.
Proofread your CV
Like it or not, there are people around that will judge you if your CV is poorly written and naturally this should be avoided at all costs. Writing things like “detail oriented” and then having your CV filled with mistakes really says the opposite about you. It also takes away from your other achievements, so it is important to invest time in making sure that things are right.
Takeaway
Finding a job is challenging. Finding THE job is even more challenging. Having a poorly-written CV won’t help you in both endeavors. That’s why it’s imperative to have an exceptional CV that accentuates your upsides and presents you under the best light possible.
Refine your CV constantly, and always look for feedback from others. Get help from the pros, if necessary – it’s a worthwhile investment, considering how far your CV can take you in your career.