A well-written CV makes it easier for prospecting employers to find the information they need, making their hiring process a lot smoother. However, many people struggle to create the perfect CV, with most of them omitting vital information, thus making it hard to find an interested employer. You, however, need to know what the employer will be looking for when creating a CV. Keep in mind that the employer will most likely spend less than a minute on your CV. Make the few seconds they set their eyes on your CV count by providing everything they wish to see. Here are a few tips and ideas on how to improve your resume.
1. Keep It Real
A good CV should be short and precise, and ideally two pages in length. The average employer will only spend approximately 8 seconds on your CV. That said, you must keep it short and precise, but with just the required information. Save the extra details for the interview.
2. Tailor the CV For the Specific Application
Sending a generic CV to every employer you wish to work for won’t do your job-hunt any good. Instead, create or change the CV to suit the role you are applying for and the company for that matter. This means doing some research on the company and reading and understanding the job advertisement well before making the application. The advert should give you an idea of what they are looking for, hence tailor it for just that.
3. Include A Personal Statement
Include a cover letter detailing your experience (concerning the vacancy/job), and why you are the best candidate for the job. This will save the recruiting officer time and effort, asking about your experience.
4. Don’t Leave the Employer Guessing
Leaving apparent gaps in your professional background and experiences will only make the employer suspicious. Some employers won’t even bother asking about the gaps and toss your CV in the NO file. Help the employer follow your timeline well from all the jobs and positions you have held. Don’t shy, acknowledging the few months or year you were jobless. Maybe it is because you had gone back to school, was volunteering, or has something else to take care of. Be sure to include this in the CV if necessary.
5. Keep the CV Updated
Be sure to record and include everything that happened in our career journey in the CV. Keeping the CV up-to-date all the time reduces the risk of forgetting something important about your career.
6. Ensure the CV Is Free of Spelling and Grammar Errors
Most employers will detect even the slightest mistakes on your CV. While some errors may be unavoidable, make sure to proofread your CV to ensure it is free of any careless mistakes. Many employers will conclude you are careless if they find silly mistakes on your file. This also gives them a reason to dismiss your application. Have a fresh set of eyes look into your cv, and even use grammar and spell-checking tools to catch common mistakes.
7. Be Truthful
Telling blatant lies on your CV can land you in more problems than you anticipated. Some of these lies will surface when the employer starts doing background checks and contacting references you might have included. If you are lucky to get through the interview stage, these lies may follow you to your desk, causing you to lose the job/position.
8. Include Numbers in the CV
As dull as it may sound, using numbers to back your achievements up makes it easy for the employers to believe you, and even estimate your capabilities. You, however, shouldn’t lie on these numbers, but rather be truthful. A safe way to do this would be by using percentages to outlined your success and how you helped increase sales, for example, in the previous company.
9. Make It Look Presentable and Captivating
Make the CV look good by keeping your sentences short, and using bullet points where applicable. You can also throw in a chart or other relevant graphics to reduce white space in the CV. Be sure not to overdo it to avoid raising suspicion.
10. Make Use of The Main Keywords
Keywords are crucial and especially if required to upload the CV to a job site. Include the job buzzwords and job titles in the CV to ensure search engines index and pick your CV when a search is entered. However, you need to ensure the keywords aren’t just randomly placed, but neatly interwoven in the content.
