6 Pro Tips for Crafting A Professional CV
Whether you are a CV rookie or have not updated yours in ages, check out these 6 dynamite top tips for creating a professional CV that makes you shine in today’s competitive job market. Across the world so many people are now looking for jobs, many of which have sadly been made redundant. Before the pandemic started the job market was tough enough, with a lot of fresh competition and so many candidates in the market.
So many different experiences, educational backgrounds, skills, it was very competitive, and it is even more so now. That is why having a strong Professional CV which jumps out from the crowd is essential if you want to find a job.
The key thing to get across and answer is “Why should a company hire you, rather than the next person?”
Here are 6 Top Tips on Writing A Professional CV:
- Personalise Your CV Every Time.
Do not make the mistake of sending out a generic CV to every role you apply for. This will not work. Now when I say personalise your CV every time, it means have a look at the job description in which you are applying for and make sure the skills which are listed on the job ad are listed on your CV. Ensure the reader knows you are writing specifically for that role.
Of course, only if you have those skills, you do not want to be falsifying your CV claiming you have certain skills which you do not have.
- List Key Achievements Not Daily Responsibilities:
Do not simply list everything you have done on your CV. Instead list what you specifically achieved, what did you contribute and what was the result.
If you are a student just starting out and have not had a previous job, think about what you have achieved whilst at school or university.
- Did you win an award?
- Did you contribute to a project?
- Did you join any clubs or societies?
- Did you come up with an idea?
- Think about it I am sure you have many, which you may not even realise.
If you are not a Student and have been employed previously here are some things to think about which you may have done within your career which you can list on your CV as a Key Achievement:
- Did you increase something? (Such as Sales? Employee Engagement? Retention?)
- Did you implement something? (Perhaps a new system or strategy?)
- Did you decrease something? (Such as Employee Turnover? Delivery Times? Costs?)
- Did you Spearhead something? (Such as a Project, A Team?)
- Did you Innovate Something? (A New Product? A new Strategy?)
A great formula to use when writing key achievements for your Professional CV is:
What did you achieve? How did you achieve it? What was the benefit to the company?
- Keep your CV short and concise to a maximum of two pages.
For each piece of information on your CV ask yourself “Does this really add value?”. Focus on achievements rather than just lists full of daily tasks. You need to stand out – not blend in. If you have an extensive work history of let’s say 15 years and upwards and feel 3 or pages is needed to ensure you cover all the key career highlights then feel free too.
- Leave Your Photograph and Home Address off the CV:
Photos can leave room for discrimination. Some employers will completely disregard the CV if there is a photograph on it due to claims of discrimination. Additionally, do not include any personal information such as Date of Birth, Marital Status, Religion, etc as this can also leave room for discrimination.
Please note: These points I am referring to are for individuals looking to find a job in the United Kingdom, in other countries photos and other information may be preferred. Therefore, if you are not looking for a role in the UK, please check the requirements for the country you are looking for a role in.
- Proofread your Professional CV:
Always check for grammar and spelling mistakes. If you can then get someone else to proofread your CV in case, you have missed something. This could be a family member, friend, colleague or anyone you may know.
- Add volunteering, online courses and unpaid internships:
When writing CVs people have the tendency to always add face to face courses and they leave out online courses, thinking that they are less important. Add these in as they are all valuable, it shows the employer you have a keen interest in CPD and self-development.
If you need any support writing your CV feel free to contact me here and we can have a chat on how you can stand out from the crowd in your Job Search.
You can do this! If you have any questions at all that you would like me to cover in future blogs around Job Search drop me a message and I will do my best to cover them in future blogs!