10 Steps for Succesful CV Bulding

Writing a good CV can be one of the toughest challenges of job hunting. Most employers spend just a few seconds scanning each CV before sticking it in the 'Yes' or 'No' pile.

Here are the top 10 tips for writing a CV that'll secure the all-important interview.

1 - Keep it Simple

Your CV should be no more than two pages, and that's two pages of A4 paper max! Avoid jargon, abbreviations and acronyms (unless these are industry/role standard).

Employers spend, on average, just 8 seconds looking at any one CV, and a surefire way of landing yourself on the no pile is to send them your entire life story. Keep it punchy, to the point, and save those little details for the interview.

2 - Customise your CV for Each Role

Tailor your skills and achievements to the role. Use the job description to ensure that you're using the same "language" as your future employer and covering all the key tasks/duties/responsibilities/competencies.

Increasingly, organisations are using software selection tools, these software packages have automated search for keywords in CVs. Tailoring a CV will ensure you are using the employer's "keywords" and ensure that your CV passes this filter.

3 - Include a Personal Statement

Never assume that a potential employer will see how your experience relates to their job.

Instead, use a short "to the point" personal statement to explain why you are the best person for the job. This should also be reflected in your cover letter.

4 - Don't Leave Gaps

Humans are a cynical bunch and leaving obvious gaps on your CV immediately makes employers suspicious. They won't give you the benefit of the doubt.

If you've been out of work it can be a worry, just put a positive spin on it. Did you do a course, volunteer work or develop soft skills such as communication, teamwork or project management? If so, shout about it!

5 - Keep it Current

You should always try to keep your CV up-to-date whether you're looking for a job or not. Every time something significant occurs in your career or achievement is reached, record it so you don't later forget something that could be important.

6 - The Error of Your Ways

Employers notice mistakes on CVs and if they find them, it makes you look really bad. David Hipkin, head of recruitment and resourcing at Reed Business Information, warns, "With most employers experiencing massive volumes of applicants right now, giving them the excuse to dismiss your application because of avoidable errors is not going to help you secure an interview." If you are unsure then use a spellchecker and ask someone else to double-check what you've written.

7 - Always be Honest

Ask for a second or even third opinion on your CV. Quite often, these reviews will help "sharpen" and refine your CV. It can also help you enhance it with other achievements that you may have overlooked or missed.

8 - Do the Maths

This may sound dull, but backing up your achievements with numbers makes selling yourself much easier.

When writing your work history, don't just say that you increased sales; tell them you increased sales by 70% over six month period. Get it? Big numbers are especially good.

9 - Choose a Clear Layout

Employers spend around 20 - 30 seconds scanning your CV, so it needs to remain clutter-free and easy to read.

The last thing a recruiter wants to do is to go hunting for the information that they are looking for so don't hide amongst an array of elaborate graphics.

10 - Make it Keyword Friendly

If you've uploaded your CV to a job site, keywords are very important. Job titles and job buzzwords will help a search engine pick up your CV from the pile. A marketing candidate might mention SEO (Search Engine Optimization), direct marketing and digital marketing among their experience and skills, for example... If you're not sure, have a search online and see what words are commonly mentioned when you input your job title.