Land that interview – 7 tips to get your CV noticed

Your curriculum vitae, or CV, is usually the first thing that a recruiter will see even before meeting you. Only if they like what they see, will they contact you. That’s why it’s so important to create a good first impression with a great CV.

Recruiters come across hundreds of CVs daily, and they’ll probably spend a few minutes on each CV before moving on to the next. How to get yours noticed?

Here are some tips that may help.

1) Use clear and simple formatting

Categorise your information into sections such as personal details (including contact information), work experience, education, skills, and additional information. This will make your CV easy to read. You’ll be helping recruiters scan for the information they’re looking for within the limited time they have.

Use larger text for headings and add a blank space before and after each heading. Be generous with blank spaces (they help make your CV easier to scan through) and don’t try to fit too much on a single page.

Remember to save your CV as a PDF file.

2) Keep it concise

The way you summarise your experience and skills shows how organised and clear you are with your interests and goals. Write in simple and short sentences, with no unnecessary fillers and fluff. Remember to include the relevant qualifications or licences that you have attained and remove any irrelevant information. It’s recommended to keep your CV to one or a maximum of two pages.

3) Highlight your skills and strengths

It is critical that you demonstrate not only your responsibilities but also how you made a difference in your previous job. If the position requires leadership experience, briefly describe real-life examples of how you have led a team in the past. If you are applying to be a team member, be sure to include your teamwork experience to demonstrate your team-player abilities. Backing up your accomplishments with numbers is also an excellent way to demonstrate your worth to prospective employers.

If you are fluent in more than a few languages, you should highlight it if it adds value to your application. This could be especially beneficial to you if you’re applying for a job at a multinational corporation.

4) Keep it professional

While it's good to highlight a few of your hobbies to demonstrate your interests outside of work, recruiters are more interested in the qualities you'll bring to the company. If you want to mention your hobbies, it's better to describe how they have helped you learn certain skills and values that you can apply to your job.

5) Be honest

It isn’t difficult for recruiters to detect a lie (it's what they're trained for). You’ll be doing yourself a huge favour by being as honest as possible in your CV and job application.

6) Keep it consistent

Another useful tip that many applicants may overlook when job hunting in this digital age is to ensure that your online profile is consistent with your CV. Future employers are likely to Google you before scheduling an interview, so consider the content you post or share on your social media. To give recruiters more information about your networking abilities and professional background, give them your LinkedIn profile (just make sure it’s consistent with your CV).

7) Proofread!

Be sure to check for spelling and grammar mistakes as they could indicate carelessness or laziness. You don't want to be a candidate that claims they have ‘good attention to detail’ and then leaves spelling mistakes. Always proofread before you hit that ‘send’ button.

Job-hunting isn’t easy; it requires patience and hard work. A powerful CV that creates a good impression is the first step towards landing your dream job. We wish you all the best!

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