CV means curriculum vitae in Latin, literally ‘course of life’, and a good CV really can change your career and therefore the way you live. There’s no shortage of online material giving great advice on how you can build a strong summary of your skills, achievements and experience, but here are a few Jiggle pointers to save you some time.
Get Googling
Search engines are your friend. There are endless sites online that can help you with CV templates, and there are even ones specific to particular professions. Whether you’re updating an existing CV or starting from scratch, online is a great place to start for advice and ideas.
Short and sweet
Most CVs are digital, but still it’s generally accepted that CVs shouldn’t run to more than the equivalent of two pages of A4 paper. Recruiters and employers only have so much time, so you need to make it as easy as possible to browse through your key information. As always, there are exceptions to the rule; if the role is at a high level or in a very specialist area, you may need to elaborate on particular skills or experience. Equally, if you’re newly qualified or a school leaver, you may only need a single page. Whatever the case, make sure every word counts.
Be honest
One of the golden rules is not to fib on your CV. Obviously you want to present yourself in the best light possible, but don’t be tempted to fill your resume with roles, experience and skills you don’t have. You will be found out and it won’t do you any favours in the long run. Stay true to yourself, and if you’re seeing gaps in your CV it’s better to work towards filling them than to pretend you already have. Most interviewers will ask you about how you’d like to progress, so in an ideal world you can work together to make your dream CV a reality.
Mind the gap
Be honest about any gaps in your work history. Life happens, and spending time out of work is not uncommon. You won’t be the first interviewee that’s taken some time out to travel, care for someone, been made redundant or experienced illness. Tell it how it is/was, and if you can demonstrate that you learned something from it, it may even help you land the job.
Call in favours
Most of us are lucky enough to have one of those friends or colleagues who have a great track record in their field and you’d trust to give you an honest opinion on how your CV reads. Don’t be afraid to ask them for their input. A second pair of eyes can give you some objectivity on how your words come across to someone. And a spell check doesn’t go amiss either.
Tidy up
Once you’ve written your CV, check it and then check it again. Make sure it’s formatted correctly and is easy to read. Make sure your dates are accurate, your spelling is correct and your grammar is spot on. Ensure it looks good on the page; you’re not the only one applying for that role and you need to make sure you stand out for all the right reasons. No matter what the job, all employers are looking for someone who makes the effort, takes the time and has pride in their work. A strong CV gives a great first impression.
An eye for AI
AI can be a helpful tool in many professional situations, but it is by its very nature, generic. Which means there’s bound to be other people applying for that role who have the same idea – to use AI to write their CV. Employers and recruiters have long been wise to this, and it can count against you. So, by all means review AI suggestions, but don’t rely on them to do the heavy lifting as far as your CV is concerned. You need to demonstrate what makes you different and uniquely qualified to fulfil that particular role, and that’s something no bot can ever achieve.
Lead by example
Try to bring your experience to life. You do need to list your job history and responsibilities, but stay focused on what this taught you and how you could apply this in other situations, rather than it simply being a list. Metrics are great, such as ‘I created and delivered a marketing campaign that resulted in a 12% increase in sales’, but ‘I was recently involved in a community gardening project that demonstrated my company’s commitment to CSR and received positive press coverage’ also shows an aptitude to try new things and contribute to company goals.
Make it personal
As well as your work history and qualifications, make sure you include any relevant non-professional experience. Pastimes such as walking, painting or volunteering help to give a more rounded picture of your personality and how you might fit into a team. Wherever possible, try to link these directly to the remit of the job you’re applying for. For example, if you’re interested in history, this might be a great asset if you’re looking at jobs working with older people. Learning any new skills, whether it’s a language or starting a veg patch, is evidence that you like to develop and enjoy new experiences.
Be specific
Send off your CV/fill in the form with a cover letter/email/intro specific to the job. It shows you’re genuinely interested in that particular role, rather than just applying for a vast number of opportunities. Always offer references on request, tailoring them to the role/organisation, and don’t forget to let them know they might receive a call! Here’s hoping you do too, with the news you’ve been shortlisted for interview.
