‘Why is my CV not standing out or resulting in interviews?’ 🤷♀️🤷♂️
A question that we’re asked almost daily.
Well, in today’s job market, making a memorable first impression with a CV has never been more important and it’s your personal marketing tool that really is the gateway to so many career opportunities!
So, if you’re in the midst of revamping your CV, here are some fundamental Do’s and Don’ts that might be helpful to remember when you’re wanting to showcase your potential in the best possible light.
DO:
✨Tailor your CV to the job you’re applying for. It might sound obvious but really do make sure you’re taking the time to highlight the relevant skills and experience you have that are in line with the specific role that you’re applying for.
Top tip with this one, add key words from the job description to help you with getting past the ATS!
✨Include a personal statement but don’t make it generic! Again, make it relevant to the job you’re applying for, make it stand out and let it tell the story of what you can bring to the table in the way of professional experience
✨Quantify your achievements – data doesn’t lie! Use numbers and statistics where possible to really showcase the tangible accomplishments that you’ve had in your most recent roles
✨Make sure it’s formatted properly! This sounds so simple, but it is SO important to remember. Use a clean, professional font that’s easy to read, use bullet points to summarise instead of big bulky paragraphs of text, make sure everything is formatted in the same way and PROOF READ for spelling and grammatical errors!
DON’T:
❌Bombard with information. A 4-page CV really isn’t necessary, it’s too long, looks cluttered and 99% of hiring managers won’t make it past the first couple of pages. Stick to 2 pages where possible and keep it relevant (can you see a theme here?!)
❌Include irrelevant information. Age, marriage status, place of birth aren’t needed.
❌Use generic words like ‘motivated’, ‘hard-working’ or ‘team player’. Every person and their dog uses these and they’re too vague.
❌And whatever you do, don’t neglect your online presence. It’s 2024 and in today’s digital age, employers are often looking up potential new employees online. So, keep your content true and consistent to your CV and the industry you’re in, showcase your personality and passions as much as possible and remember that it can be a really fantastic tool in helping to humanize the application process!
Image Description:
‘Why is my CV not standing out?!’ written in italics, navy text on a cream background with a picture of a CV with ‘rejected’ written on it and it being torn in half
