THE BASICS
CONTACT INFORMATION
Ensure your contact information is up-to-date, correct and displayed clearly at the very top of your CV. You'll be surprised how often they're not! Make sure you include your full name, location, mobile contact number and email address as standard.
It only takes 10 seconds for a hiring manager to disregard an application. Don't let it be yours that they glance over oh-so-quickly. Layout, design, content and contact information are all important aspects in creating the ideal CV to make a great first impression and capture their attention.
READABILITY
Avoid squashing all the content of your CV up too tightly. Allow enough room for an easy and comfortable read. Making sure that you work on highlighting your main strengths and experiences will help to consolidate any surplus information that may not be relevant right away. Try and keep your CV to just one or two pages and focus on what's important when designing a clean, simple and refined layout.
THE PERFECT FIT
Tailor your CV to each application! Tweaking your profile and notable key skills for each and EVERY job application will highlight your suitability to that specific role. You'll also learn about how your own skills are adaptable in various settings and scenarios. Remember - one CV does not fit all. So diversify, prioritise key points and find the perfect fit. Note: you should ALWAYS be truthful, sincere and yourself!
CV FORMAT
With a concise window of opportunity to set the right tone, hiring managers are looking for CVs that are easy to read and clear to understand and so now may not be the time to get super creative. Simplicity is key - use simple, modern fonts ie. Arial, Calibri, and opt between 10-12pts text sizing for effortless reading. Using bullet points and clear sections is a great way to simplify text-heavy copy and create a more flowing reading experience. Save your CV as a PDF or forward in a Microsoft format if possible so that it opens exactly how you saved it.
THE SECTIONS
TITLES, SUBHEADINGS & SECTIONS
Take the time to split your CV into handy little bitesized chunks of key information. Diving up your CV content will create an easy-to-follow guide to who you are and why you're right for the role.
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In a very particular order, CVs work best like this...
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CONTACT
PROFILE / OPENING STATEMENT
KEY SKILLS
WORK HISTORY (starting with most recent)
QUALIFICATIONS & EDUCATION
PERSONAL INTERESTS
Any Additional Information and/or Links
CHECK, DOUBLE CHECK, TRIPLE CHECK, AND CHECK AGAIN!
You want to know you did everything you could to make a good impression, you want to be credible AND you want hiring managers to feel that you've taken time and great care in your application and so check, check and check again! There's no excuse for poor spelling, grammar and rookie errors in this day and age and so read through your CV along with any accompanying documents before (and every time) you hit 'submit' for peace of mind and a quality job application to feel proud of.