How to craft a CV that will stand out - Margaret Buj - Interview Coach

How to craft a CV that will stand out Having a killer CV is essential when you apply for a job that requires one. It cant blend into all the other CVs that look almost identical to yours. But when youre trying to keep it professional, you cant do anything too whacky. So when recruiters look at hundreds of CVs for each position, how are you meant to make yours stand out? It can feel an impossible task but you can make your CV eye-catching. There are a number of things you should do if you want your CV to get you through to the next stage of the recruitment process. Start with the ones below: Keep It Short and Readable Your CV needs to be as concise as possible, while still showing off the best bits about you. Ideally, it shouldnt be any longer than two single sides of paper. It needs to be well-spaced too so that its easy to scan. As much as it might be nice for people to read it thoroughly, its probably going to get a quick glance at most. Making it readable means you cant make the font smaller to fit more in, either. You need to think about including all the parts of your work, education and skills that are relevant to the job. Theres no need to list everything youve ever done in an attempt to impress. Use a Professional Service If you dont know where to start, using a professional service could help you craft your CV. They can put together all the essential information in a format that recruiters want to see. Theres a science to the perfect CV and they can help you get it right. Use a service like Purple CV to make sure you get a CV that has been written from scratch. Its a good idea to get one main CV and then to tweak it every time you apply for a job. You can have a CV created for different stages in your career and even a specialist one for a highly specialised field. Customise for Each Job Its essential that you review your CV for each job you apply for. Dont assume that its one size fits all, especially when youre applying for a diverse range of jobs. You need to make sure your CV fits in with the objectives and tone of the company. Each time you send out your CV, make sure youve taken a look at the job description and researched the company. Include a Profile and Objective If you summarise why you should be hired in a couple of sentences, you should. Thats part of the purpose of a personal profile and an objective. You have the chance to lay out your key attributes and where youre hoping to take your career. Its also an opportunity to say what the rest of your CV doesnt. Everything else will show your past and present activities, but you can also talk about what you want for the future. Writing the perfect CV isnt something you just do once. You have to keep adjusting it for each job and throughout your career.