When you come to write your CV or update an old one, it can be overwhelming. What should I include? How should I lay it out? What should I leave out? It doesn’t have to hard task though, there are some simple CV writing tips can you follow to ensure you are application ready.
Personal details: This is an obvious one, but you’d be surprised at how easy it is to forget to include your details when you’re concentrating on the rest of CV. If it’s the first thing you do or the last thing, just make sure you have clearly included your name and contact details, so you can be contacted.
Even if you are applying through a website that captures your details through an application form, it’s still good practice to ensure your details are included.
Presentation: Typing a document has come a long since Windows 98 and so should your CV. You don’t have to go all out and use a fancy computer package to design your CV – Microsoft Word has CV templates you can make use of or there are online programmes you can use like Canva. The best thing to remember when putting together your CV is to keep it simple and consistent throughout – format it in a way that doesn’t distract or confuse the reader.
Length: It is best to only include your most recent and relevant career history in a CV. Even though it can be tempting to include everything (you want to impress after all), anything longer than two sides of A4 can be off-putting for an employer.
Tailor your CV: Once you’ve finished your CV it can be too easy not to touch it again once you’ve completed/updated it, but it’s important to tailor your CV to the job/s you are applying for. Just as you would with a cover letter, include the most relevant information for the position you’re applying for and ditch the stuff that isn’t. Tailoring your CV to specific jobs shows you have read and fully understand the job description rather than just firing out a generic version.
Career history: This might be one of the things that confuses most people – what order do you write your career history in? It’s best to write it in chronological order including dates, starting with the most recent first. You don’t have to write reams and reams of information for each either – keep it concise and detail the key responsibilities you held and the skills you gained in each role you’ve held, not forgetting to include achievements.
Check and check again: It happens to the best of us, but a spelling or grammatical error on your CV can mean the difference between you getting an interview or not. Don’t just rely on spellcheck to ensure your CV is ready – put the content into an online tool like Grammarly, read it out loud and give it to family and friends to check.
Regularly update: It may not be at the top of your priorities, but keeping your CV updated is important even if you aren’t actively looking for a job. If the situation does arise when you need to send your CV out, you’ll be on the ball and able to send it out quickly.
If you’d like your CV reviewed before you begin sending it out to employers or need some more CV writing tips, the team at Bluestones Staffing are here to help. Get in touch with us today.
