If you’re looking around for a new job the first thing to do is to spruce up your CV.

What is a CV?

A CV, also known as a curriculum vitae, is an overview of your education, achievements, work history and qualifications. This is the first thing that recruiters will see therefore, it needs to make a good impression. A poorly written CV could mean that you won’t even be considered for an interview.

What should you include in your CV?

There is no structure to a CV and every CV will be different however, there is some key information that should be included.

  • Contact details (ensure you have double checked these and that they are correct)
  • A personal statement (include a brief summary about yourself and what you are looking for)
  • Previous work experience (include a description of your job role)
  • Education
  • Qualifications
  • References (occasionally available upon request)

Follow our top tips to make your CV stand out from the crowd.

  1. Make your CV easy to read

Don’t make your CV too long, a standard CV should be between 2-3 pages long. Use headings to separate your work history from your qualifications. Make them stand out by making them bold and underlined. Also, ensure that the font is readable, clear and professional. This will make the CV appear professional and reader-friendly for the recruiter.

 

  1. Break up texts, don’t do big paragraphs

Ensure you don’t have big paragraphs. Big blocks of text will make the important information hard to locate. Recruiters have a big pile of CVs to go through daily so a CV with big paragraphs that is not easy to read is most likely to go in the no pile. Keep the text brief however, informative.

 

  1. Add contact details and double check they are correct!

There have been many occasions where our consultants have read a CV and thought the candidate would be perfect for the job role however, their contact details were incorrect on the CV meaning that we are unable to interview them. Ensure that your details are correct so that you don’t miss out on any job opportunities.

 

  1. Check spelling and grammar

Ensure that you proofread your CV. Imagine spending all that time trying to perfect your CV to then send it off with a typo and other inaccuracies.

 

  1. Tailor your CV to the job role you are applying for

Tailoring your CV to the job role means that you can include and highlight the relevant qualifications, skillset and achievements for the job role. You can also then go into more detail on the previous job roles that are similar to the one you are applying for.

 

What not to include

  • Don’t include personal information (nationality, gender and marital status) – Recruiters are not allowed to make a decision based upon this information. Therefore, this does not need including in your CV. Some companies may have certain requirements depending on the contracts (for example, age) however, this will most likely be on the job advert or the recruiter will ask you.

 

  • Personal hobbies – Some companies will tell you that you should include hobbies however, others tell you to stay away from this. Most people will include the same hobbies (travelling, reading and socialising) however, this will not add any value to your CV. If you’re hobbies relate to the job role or show your potential of taking on challenges that is a bonus. If you’re hobbies include anything that will make you stand out from the crowd (such as charity work) the include it!