Steps to a successful CV

When it comes to job hunting, your CV is one of the first ways to sell yourself to an employer. Get it right, and you’ll have an interview in no time, but get it wrong, and you may face disappointment. Lucky for you, we’ve put together a guide to show you how to write a great CV that’s ready for 2022 and beyond:

  1. Get the basics right

You can add your own flavour to your CV but there are some common sections you should cover. These include: personal and contact information; education and qualifications; work history and/or experience; achievements; and some references.

  1. Presentation is key

Make sure your CV is clearly presented. Use apps like Resume Star and Resume Builder+ to create a great basic CV or try out Canva to make your résumé really stand out from the crowd. Use bullet points, keep sentences short and make the layout easy on the eye.

  1. Stick to no more than two pages of A4

A CV should be no more than two pages. Employers spend, on average, just 8 seconds looking at any one CV, and a sure-fire way of landing yourself on the no pile is to send them countless pages. Keep it punchy and to the point.

  1. Tailor it

It’s tempting to send the same CV out to lots of employers to save time but this could be a mistake. Change your CV for each role that you apply for. Research the company and use the job advert to work out exactly what skills you should point out to them. They will appreciate the obvious effort.

  1. Don’t leave gaps

Leaving clear gaps on your CV immediately makes employers suspicious – and they won’t give you the benefit of the doubt. If you’ve been out of work, make sure you put a positive spin on it. Did you do a course, volunteer work or develop soft skills such as communication, teamwork or project management? Shout about it!

  1. Check, check and check again

With employers receiving volumes of applicants, giving them the excuse to dismiss your application because of avoidable errors is not going to help you secure an interview. If you’re unsure then use spellchecker and ask someone else to double-check what you’ve written. Be flawless.

  1. Emphasize results

Focus on results rather than responsibilities. Back up your achievements with numbers to sell yourself much easier. When writing your work history, don’t just say that you increased sales; tell them you increased sales by 70% over a six month period. Yeah?

  1. Make it keyword friendly

If you’ve uploaded your CV to a job site so us recruiters can find you, keywords are very important. Show industry insight and use buzzwords which will help a search engine pick out your CV from the pile. Confused? Have a search online and see what words are commonly mentioned when you input your job title.

Now, crack on and create a professional CV in minutes and make your résumé shine!