If your CV reflects these seven qualities, you'll be well-positioned to secure a better job, faster. These insights come from over 25 years of experience at Robert Tearle Consulting, where we specialize in headhunting with a highly tailored, precision-focused approach.
While we don’t directly help individuals find jobs or register candidates, the following tips are designed to help you craft a strong CV that stands out and unlocks better opportunities.
1. Structure Your CV
Employers expect information presented in a specific order. Structuring your CV this way will make it easier for them to read and interpret:
- Order: Begin with your name, contact details, and profile. Then include skills (optional), employment history in reverse chronological order, education, and hobbies.
- Length: Two pages are ideal for most professionals, while younger candidates may find a single page sufficient.
- Common Pitfall: Many believe a CV’s sole purpose is to secure an interview, leading to insufficient detail. This is a mistake. During the recruitment process, multiple stakeholders will review your CV. It needs to elicit a confident "Yes, this person looks right", rather than a hesitant "They might be right."
2. Simple Styling
- Font: Use clean, consistent styles with tiered text sizes for readability.
- Format: Stick to black or navy blue for headlines and create white space with line breaks and bullet points.
- Common Pitfall: Avoid making your CV look like a densely packed book. In an effort to squeeze everything into two pages, some people shrink text sizes, stretch gridlines or borders, and cram in too much detail. The result? It becomes difficult to read—and often doesn’t get read at all!
3. Create a Strong Profile
Your profile is your first impression—make it count.
- Keep it concise (3–5 lines).
- Tailor to the Job: Highlight your core skills, strengths, and career aspirations in a way that aligns with the role.
- Common Pitfall: Avoid vague, generic statements that anyone could use. Instead, incorporate specific facts and figures that reflect your achievements and are relevant to the scope and scale of the opportunity. This will make your profile stand out and resonate with employers.
4. Employment History
List roles in reverse chronological order, detailing achievements alongside responsibilities.
- Vague job titles and descriptions can be confusing. Be clear to the reader, about what the main purpose or remit or responsibilities are. It needs to be clear as to what you have been doing.
- State your employers line of business. Provide brief context on your employers' industries to make your background relatable.
- Common Pitfalls. In the majority of cases people fail to state clearly the line of business in which their employer is in, and therefore your CV lacks context and potential relevance. Similarly too many people fail to include specific results with facts and figures to demonstrate impact.
5. Showcase Achievements
Focus on measurable results. Numbers, percentages, and examples will make your CV more compelling. Ensure these align with the scope and scale of the job you're targeting.
6. Educational Background & Hobbies
- Younger candidates may highlight qualifications upfront and do so in greater detail; experienced professionals should list them last.
- Add hobbies to reflect a well-rounded personality.
7. Proofreading
Typos can cost you the job.
- Check thoroughly for errors.
- Seek feedback from trusted advisors or industry professionals.
Once complete, save and share your CV as a PDF for optimal display. Keep it clear, professional, and impactful—it’s your ticket to better opportunities!
You can find additional tips about creating a winning CV including a CV template, optimising your LinkedIn profile and job search effectiveness here: https://www.roberttearle.com/candidates
