7 Top CV Tips

Seven Top Tips were released today in creating a great CV from Recruitment Grapevine. I know CV advice is a minefield, but I think we have moved on a lot from where this advice comes from. It feels a bit 1995. I'll critique below.

1) Keep it real

"A CV should be short and sweet – and that means no more than two pages of A4. Make sure it is punchy, to the point and leaves out the irrelevant information."

Joe  2 page CVs are legacy of when CVs were posted to companies and they didn't want huge piles to go through. CVs are viewed differently now. They are seen on screen and length is much less relevant .

2) Tailor it to suit the job

"Most candidates want to create a generic CV that they re-use more than once. However, taking the time to tailor your CV to each role that you are applying for and incorporating keywords from the original job advert is a good way of attracting recruiters."

Joe I'd agree to an extent, but in this climate you could apply for 10 jobs in a day, online. I'd suggest having a personal statement which is one paragraph long and change that each time, not the whole CV

3) Presentation is key

"Keep the design concise, clear and print it on crisp white paper. If you are printing it off to send, use an A4 envelope to post the CV to avoid it getting crumpled or tattered."

Joe Ok - two comments here. Firstly, who actually prints off CVs and sends them in the post in 2019? Secondly, it's not a bad idea to do that! In 1995 your CV through the post would have been one of hundreds, now it might be the only one and stand out from the hundreds of online applications.

4) Make sure all of the details are up-to-date

"Check a couple of times before you send anything off. There is nothing worse than sending a CV across with incorrect employment dates and details."

Joe Does this actually need to be a tip? Pretty obvious.

5) Use a confident voice and positive language

"The voice adopted in your CV can tell recruiters a lot about you as a person. So, keep it positive and confident to ensure that you appeal to them as an ideal hire."

Joe I'd be a little careful here. Whilst it's good to try and give a little personality across, it's also very easy to misconstrue tone - as I'm sure we have all experienced in an email going wrong. One person's confidence, is another's arrogance.

6) Include lots of (relevant) information

"Tell recruiters and hiring managers about your education, prizes or certificates that you have been awarded that could strengthen your application. Recent experiences and hobbies are also factors that could greatly set you apart from other candidates."

Joe Isn't this what a CV is?! On the hobbies and interests, my advice is always - "If you are interesting, put in interests....if you are not, do not". Never, ever, in any circumstances include 'reading' or 'socializing with friends'. These should be prerequisites (and the latter makes you look like you drink too much)

7) Searchable terms for online applications

"Appeal to online audiences by using relevant keywords in your CV that will be flagged up by computer systems."

Joe The number one most important point, for me, and here it comes out last. If you want to be found, you need to have your CV littered with words and phrases people will search for. Pick the 3 or 4 you want to be found for most - and repeat them as many as SEVEN times. The same goes for your LinkedIn profile.