CV Writing Checklist
CV writing or resume writing can seem daunting but here are some tips to help your get that dream job. If you want to quit your job for pastures new here we go.
The average employer / recruiter looks at each CV for 6 seconds before making a decision whether to read more or not. How can you both make sure your CV stands out, looks professional, yet also avoid doing anything to put off a future boss?
Let’s go right from the start. What actually is a CV? In a nutshell, it’s a document used when applying for jobs. It allows you to summarise your education, skills and past experiences so you can (hopefully) impress your future bosses by selling your abilities. Employers will read tens, or even hundreds, of CVs for every position during the recruitment process, but there’s a few things you can do to make sure your CV stands out (and not in a bad way)to be the perfect candidate.
When CV writing, we sometimes think that to impress we need to write as much information as possible, using the fanciest formats and words to show how clever we are. This is simply not true! Keeping your CV concise by using clear spacing and bullet points allows potential employers to quickly skim read your CV, picking out the important information needed. Let your experiences and knowledge do the talking.
CV Writing Checklist
Leading on from this, do not waffle on for pages and pages – employers simply do not have the time to read it (and won’t). Ideally all your information should fit onto one page, two at the very maximum.
Similar to the first point, there is simply no need for the words ‘Curriculum Vitae‘ to be any part of your CV writing process. When sending this to potential employers, they will know the document they’ve been sent is a CV – they don’t need it pointing out to them with the very first words they will read. Instead, write your name. ‘Curriculum Vitae’ is not important – your name, however, is.
Covering letters should be a must (unless the employer states otherwise). As mentioned, a CV is a short, list of facts about your experiences and education. With a covering letter, you can let a little bit of your personality shine through.
It should be clearly formatted and short enough for a potential employer to be able to read quickly – and most importantly – it should always be tailored to the role you’re applying for.
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