Having a strong CV is crucial if you want to bag yourself a great job. But, with industry standards rapidly changing each year, how do you ensure that your CV keeps up with employer expectations?
As a full-time recruitment expert myself :), CV writing is one of the biggest opportunities for candidates to make it or break it.
CV Library one of the UK’s leading job boards has written me some great content to share letting you know, what you need to do to get noticed. And I can vouch for everyone.
five steps below will show you how to tailor your CV to ensure it’s ready for 2018 and beyond.
Modernise your CV’s font
Start by getting rid of any archaic font that might be slowing you down. As most employers will receive your CV in a digital format, choose a clear font like Calibri or Arial. Sizing should be between 10 and 12 point font for the body, while your headings should be between 14 and 18 points. This will make it look professional, easy to read and allow plenty of room for your skills and experience.
Make sure your CV is digital friendly
With today’s technology, it’s extremely likely that you’ll send your CV via email or through an online job board. Therefore, make sure your CV is digital friendly. Windows PCs use the .docx file extension for documents by default, whereas Macs use .pages, so avoid using either of these. After all, there’s a chance that the employer won’t be able to open your CV.
Instead, save your CV as a pdf to enable any computer to view the file. It will also uphold the formatting, so you can be sure that employers will see your CV as you intended.
Make sure your CV is relevant.
Whether it’s 2018 or 2028, no matter what year it is, relevant information on your CV will always stand the test of time. You should always tailor your CV to suit the position. Not only does this show employers why you’re the right candidate, but it will help your application beat the Applicant Tracking Systems (ATSs). This type of recruitment technology is becoming increasingly popular, so it’s important that you get it right.
Analyse the job description and pick out a few of the relevant keywords and phrases that recruiters are looking for. Focus on certain qualifications and skills and apply them naturally throughout your CV. Just remember, your CV still needs to read well and flow naturally, so don’t overdo it with the buzzwords.
While it’s important to list your skills and experience, employers also want to hear about your successes. Adding a few figures can really help a recruiter to see how you’ve progressed in your career.
If you’ve been successful in the past, then they will see this as a good prediction for how you will perform in their own company. Elaborate on times in your career where you have used your skills and initiative to overcome challenges without getting discouraged, as this will really help support your claims.
Consistency is key with your CV
Here is advice that is as old as the CV itself and will continue to be advice throughout your career. A CV with spelling mistakes and grammatical errors is never to going to make a good impression. It screams poor attention to detail and will immediately put off the potential employer. So, keep an eye out for spelling mistakes, typos, poor sentence structure and punctuation errors.
Make sure you proofread thoroughly. Sometimes it helps to read your CV aloud to make sure there are no mistakes and maybe ask someone else to take a look at it for you. After all, it would be a shame to ruin your chances because of an easily spotted mistake.
Final thoughts making sure your CV is ready for 2018
Remember, industries may change and evolve so you and your CV need to as well. Whilst fonts and formats will change over time, keeping your CV consistent and relevant to the job at hand will never change. These steps will help ensure your CV is ready for the year ahead and many more years throughout your successful career.
CV-Library is the UK’s leading independent job board and advertises jobs across the UK, from Sheffield to Cardiff. It also owns a range of sector-specific career sites, including Education-Jobs.co.uk.
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