A CV, an abbreviation of curriculum vitae, is a summary of your work experience, qualifications and capabilities. However, whether you’re preparing a CV or a resume, the aim of your document is always the same: to make a positive impact on the reader and encourage them to get in touch with you regarding job opportunities. There are certain tried and tested techniques that you can use to ensure your curriculum vitae is effective in the job market.
In this article, we provide the best CV writing tips that you can use on your resume to ensure you have a greater chance of getting the job you want. Use the 7 tips below to improve your CV and boost your career:
Research the roles you are applying for.
Conduct research into your targeted roles to find out what companies are looking for and what they expect from employees. Then work out how you fit into that and tailor your CV accordingly.
Be an achiever, not a doer.
Use powerful language that will ensure to make you come across as an achiever. Here is an example of a doer’s writing: “Responsible for the sales of the company”. Here’s an example of an achiever’s writing: “Optimizing sales figures for the company by implementing new processes”.
Avoid clichés.
Using clichés such as “hardworking”, “self-starter” or “working well alone and as a part of the team” are exceptionally common. Recruiters see these words and phrases many times per day. As such, they add nothing to your CV. Remove any cliches and replace them with more engaging writing.
Use numbers & statistics.
Use metrics, numbers and figures to back up your achievements and deliver a more powerful impact on recruiters. It may take some investigation and calculations to identify these figures, but the impact they make on your CV is invaluable.
Don’t include…
Don’t include personal information, such as marital status, nationality and gender. Employers are not allowed to make recruitment decisions based on these details, so including that can result in them feeling uncomfortable with being presented with such information.
Include voluntary work.
Voluntary work is a great way of drawing attention to your passions and skills. List your voluntary work like you would mention a job in order to highlight the experiences and skills gained. This is especially effective if you are a university graduate or have taken a significant time out of employment.
Obtain new CV content.
A more complex but very effective way of improving your CV is to actually gain new experiences. For example, if you’re at university and looking for your first job, you could assume a leading role in a club to demonstrate your leadership and organization skills.
