With such a high volume of candidates on the market at the moment, getting your CV right has never been more important. With this in mind, in a recent video I highlighted a few quick CV tips that candidates should be considering. To help get yours up to scratch, check out the key takeaways below:
1. Keep it brief
While this one is a bit obvious, it’s still worth reiterating. Most hiring managers don’t have the time or patience to read through long CVs, so we’d definitely recommend keeping yours short and snappy – no more than three pages!
2. Focus on what you have achieved, rather than duties
It’s all about the details. For example, if I am looking for a Project Manager – I want to know about:
The size and scope of the role/projects
Your budgets
Team size
Whether you’ve delivered on time and on budget
Any other key achievements during that time
3. Bullet points are your friend
For the same reasons as keeping your CV brief, bullet points are key!
4. Proof your CV
Proof. Proof. Proof. Even though this one is a no-brainer, you’d be surprised how often we see CVs riddled with grammatical and spelling errors. A lot of hiring managers reject CVs purely because of these mistakes, so put the time in to ensure yours is 100% error-free.
5. Be consistent with fonts, colours and text size
Unless you’re applying for creative/design roles, keeping it simple is usually the best approach. Again, we see a lot of CVs that contain inconsistent fonts and a range of font sizes – which can look unprofessional.
6. Focus on recent roles
If your work was over 5 years ago, the chances are an employer won’t take that experience into account. And whilst I don’t recommend removing any jobs (as it creates gaps and question marks), what I would suggest is going into much more depth in your most recent positions i.e. the last five years.
Looking for more CV advice? Check out our CV template, or get in touch with the team to discuss further!