5 Top Tips for Writing a CV
Nowadays a CV has become an important tool of seeking a job or even finding a better one – if you are building a carreer. With a little effort, you can create a CV that will make you stand out from the other candidates. Here are some tips how to reshape your CV to make it an effective tool for your job-hunt.
1. Know who it’s for!
Be clear about who you are creating your CV for. Know what the role is, who the employer is, exactly what they are looking for. The more you can learn about your target, the better you can tailor your CV specifically for them.
2. Be short and relevant!
Keep your CV short and sharp. Put in relevant information only and use it to highlight the best bits of information about you. Make it a document which causes people to want more.
A beautifully designed and formatted paper CV can make a great impact if handed over in a meeting with prospective employers, recruiters and networking contacts. A shorter (one-page) CV can be more appropriate at industry events – such as conferences – when you might want to give only a brief overview of your career and stand-out achievements. And although a traditional CV and cover letter combination is still the standard job application method, the growing popularity of social networks has made a supplementary, online presence vital in many industries. So, don’t neglect your online presence!
3. Align your online and offline CVs!
Think about your online profile as well as your paper CV. A personal blog or online portfolio is a good way to provide extra information about your background and links to your work. Platforms such as LinkedIn also allow you to embed information via slideshare presentations, files, and multimedia content. These days people search online to find out about you and will expect to see a LinkedIn profile. This is also a great way to be headhunted and found directly by organisations so don’t miss out on this opportunity.
4. Be genuine!
Never lie in your CV. Be true to who you are and what you have done otherwise you risk being caught out and people can usually see through a made-up CV. Make sure that you really want this job and that you know you can do it!
5. Highlight your strengths!
Think about what you are good at and how you can articulate these things in your CV. Stick with your strengths and do not highlight what you feel you may be lacking, weak in or missing out on.
