CV Formatting: A fool-proof guide to crafting the perfect resumé
The first step in any job search is to produce a good CV. Your CV is the first impression an organisation will have of you so you want to make sure it’s a great one!
Below are our tips on how to make a good CV, great.
SUMMARY
GIVE LINKEDIN A LOOK-IN
In a socially connected marketplace, the utilisation of LinkedIn is essential to making sure your application is current and relevant. Always make sure you include a personalised link to your LinkedIn in your summary section.
HIGHLIGHT YOUR KEY SKILLS
Some organisations will screen your CV using an automated system prior to a physical human getting the chance to review it. With that in mind, it’s important to consider the ‘buzzwords’ that might get your CV accepted, rather than rejected by this automated nemesis. What are the key elements of the roles you’re applying? Make sure those terms make their way into your CV. A great way to do this is to bullet point your key skills in the summary section.
EMPLOYMENT
Make sure you include most recent employment
It seems obvious but making sure that you keep your CV up to date is very important. Including your most recent role guarantees you are representing all of your experience in a comprehensive way, including any skills you have only recently developed or refined. In addition to this, making sure you keep your information up to date will ensure that you don’t forget anything relevant and important as you move forward with your career – you may have worked on a particularly exciting project but over time the detail will be difficult to remember. Writing about the project as it happens (or shortly afterwards) will help to make sure that nothing is forgotten over time.
IDENTIFY YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS
What are you most proud of? Listing your achievements for each role will help you summarise your valuable contribution to the companies who have employed you. Make sure your CV reflects your greatest achievements by bolding the elements you want the reader to focus on and remember.
MAKE A NOTE OF YOUR CAREER HISTORY
If you’ve changed sector part way through your career, some elements of your past experience won’t be relevant to the opportunity you are pursuing. A great way to keep your CV concise and relevant is by adding a career note, where you summarise your previous experience as a paragraph.
An example can be found below:
Career Note: Prior to 1992, I worked for McDonald’s as a Team Leader. This was a part time opportunity.
THREE TOP TIPS
- Make sure you proof read: Check, check and check again!
- Remove the gaps: Try not to include any gaps in your employment history, as these can be red flags to employers. Instead, did you volunteer during this time, or learn any new skills you could talk about?
- Stick to the point: Make sure your CV doesn’t exceed two A4 pages in length.
Now your CV is formatted it’s time to look for that new job! Click here for our current vacancies!
