How To Get Your CV Noticed...

Get Your CV Noticed & Avoid Making Common CV Mistakes!

I’m sure most of you will have experienced the following scenario – you’ve applied for an amazing job that you feel was ‘made for you’ but nothing came of your application. You’re not alone, it’s a common complaint…fortunately there are a few simple steps that you can take to help your CV stand out and really shout that YOU are right for the role.

The reality is that recruiters and hiring managers receive a huge number of CV’s on a daily basis and screen using a variety of differing criteria to whittle the CV’s down to the most suitable and closest matches for the role.

To make your CV stand out you need to be sure your CV clearly shows that you are the most suitable and closest match for the role – forgive me if all this seems a little obvious but the majority of CV’s we receive don’t do this, in fact some don’t even come close!

So how can you make sure your CV stands out from the others? Most CV’s make 3 or more of the following mistakes;

• Spelling/grammar mistakes
• Formatting not consistent
• Too long (typical length CV is 2-3 pages)
• Overly formatted
• Overly complicated
• Trying to say too much
• Make the first ½ of your front page really count. How many times have you picked up a magazine and put it down because the article didn’t engage you quickly enough? Others reading your CV are no different, with hundreds of others to read you need to make sure yours says…LOOK AT ME, I TICK THE BOXES – SHORTLIST ME!!!

TRY THIS: print off your CV and fold the first page in ½ now look at the top ½ and ask yourself what it says about you? A good first ½ page would detail:

• Your Name and Contact Details (you’d be surprised how many CV’s we get with no number / an old number or no email)
• Short profile about you (roughly a paragraph)
• Bullet Pointed SKILLS (more about tailoring these for specific roles below) 
• Employment History or Education (if education is recent)

Make your CV:

• Clear and Simple – make sure your CV is not overly complicated.
• When reading most people will look more intently at the first ½ of the front page so make that really count and engage them to read further.

SKILLS – Look at the job description and advert and note the skills / key words used, the Recruiter / Employer will be looking for key words / skills / experience when they read so it makes sense to mirror those.

CAUTION: Be subtle, don’t copy word for word and above all be honest, only mirror them if you are absolutely 100% sure you can back it up.

SKILLS – if you’re not in a niche then you will probably have a CV with transferable skills – be sure to highlight them in the first ½ a page but only if relevant for the role, if they are not relevant – don’t highlight them here!

CAREER HISTORY – there is much debate over how far to go back and what to include. This is personal and up to you, but whatever you do, make it clear and easy to read. Don’t over complicate it, use lots of bullet points, they draw the eye and make reading easy. Start with the most recent first. Don’t use fluffy language or ramble, be clear and to the point. We have posted a template but we must stress there are lots of templates you could use, the one we will post is just one that is simple, clean and allows you to do all of the above!

We hope this has helped and wish you every success with your search for a new position.