Get your CV noticed in 5 easy steps

Have you ever wondered how many countless CVs recruiters and HR departments have to sift through on a daily basis? They will probably give yours a cursory glance before moving on to the next. So submitting overly wordy, five-page CVs aren’t the best idea, even if you have all the right experience and qualifications. Clear, concise and to the point is what you should be aiming for if you want to get it noticed. On that note, here are five suggestions to bear in mind before you apply for your dream job.

1. Bullet points are your best friend

Rather than include lengthy paragraphs, which the recruiter isn’t going to trawl through, bullet points can help you keep descriptions of each job short and simple. Have three or four for each role, briefly summarising your main responsibilities that would be relevant to an employer. (E.g. managing a team, being responsible for a project, delivering presentations etc.)

2. Tailor your CV to each job

Although it’s tempting to send out the same CV for five or ten different jobs, it’s worth tweaking it each time to highlight the experience relevant to the specific role in question. This doesn’t mean a complete re-write, but maybe for the first two or three roles, give prominence to experience that you think this employer might be interested in. For example, if you’re applying for an account manager role, any experience involving presenting to clients or managing budgets should be right at the top.

3. Add a CV profile

This is just one or two sentences at the top of your CV, underneath your contact information. A CV profile is like a mini ‘covering letter’, summarising your experience and telling the employer immediately who you are and what you can offer them. E.g. “E-commerce manager with five years’ experience in retail. Success in devising and implementing new strategies to improve customer journey." This is more useful to them than having to trawl through your experience to work out if you’re right for them. Plus, if you include relevant keywords, your CV is also more likely to be picked up be automated tracking systems that companies often use to screen applications.

4. Edit out non-essential info

The recruiter doesn’t need to know about all your hobbies in depth, your Duke of Edinburgh award or what grade you got in GCSE Theology (unless you’re applying for the priesthood). You also don’t need to include every single job you ever had in your lifetime. Ideally your CV should be one page long, enough to provide a brief overview of your work history, not your life story.

5. Make sure the font is readable

Although you might be tempted to opt for a smart design with snazzy lettering, if the recruiter (or an applicant tracking system) can’t quite make out what is written on your CV, they can easily just disregard it. Using a common font like Helvetica, Arial, or Times New Roman might not be the prettiest choice, but will ensure your CV gets read which should be your main objective – not how nice it looks (unless you’re going into the design industry)!

[From an article I originally wrote for ConnectMentors.com]