Okay, so I know I won’t be the 1st, and I certainly won’t be the last to share one of these “hints and tips“ posts, but thought it worth sharing my opinion on this hotly debated topic.
- 1 page, 2 pages max. No one wants to read a novel, and no one wants to read what you were doing 20 years ago.
- Remove the photo; it’s irrelevant; unless the application requests one.
- Keep the font simple. Arial / Calibri, at point 10/11.
- If you are going to write about personal interests, make them interesting; everyone likes to hang out with their friends. Zzz.
- Achievements. Shout about them. Don’t make your CV read like a generic job description.
- Use figures. Make these achievements calculable, show the scale and breadth of your work.
- Don’t write in the “3rd person“. It’s weird.
- Proof read or at least use spell check. There is no excuse in this day and age for spelling and grammatical mistakes.
- Tailor your CV specifically to the opportunity you are applying for, highlighting key words and achievements.
A recruiter should be able to then sift through this efficiently and shortlist if appropriate. An online A/T/S system also will work much more effectively if you follow these guidelines.
Good luck!
