When applying for jobs, a good CV will distinguish you from the pile of others and secure you that interview for your dream job. At Rowlands we are constantly reviewing applications, so this month we wanted to share with you our guidelines and tips to ensure that your CV is getting it’s 5 a day.
The basics
It is important to keep your CV personal but the general sections that should be included are as follows: personal and contact details; education and qualifications; history of employment and/or work experience; achievements and interests.
Presentation
To ensure your reader isn’t searching for information; make sure it stands out on the page. The layout must be clear and concise – you can do this by using bold or underlined section headers and bullet points to create an organised structure.
Keep it short
Your CV should grab the reader’s attention and get every point across in a concise way. Some employers receive hundreds of CVs at a time and the average time spent on each is only 17 seconds before deciding if the applicant is suitable for interview, so don’t write more than two pages.
Adapt your CV
For each particular role- Employers want to see the key skills you have that are relevant for the particular job. Make sure you read thoroughly through each job description and pick out key competencies you have and scenarios where you have demonstrated these and highlight them on your own CV.
Keep updating your CV as you go along
It can be easy to forget key achievements in work after you’ve finished, so add these to your CV whilst you are working. Even if you aren’t currently looking for a role, you will be extra prepared when you are next job seeking.
Now we have covered the tips to ensure your CV is nourished, here are our 5 top tips to avoid:
A photograph– this is not needed or expected. Allow your experience and achievements to speak for themselves!
Too much jargon– either industry based or in the profile summary.
An introduction that is written in the third person –keep this for the job.
Time gaps-perhaps you were travelling, raising your children or actively seeking work – make sure there are no periods of time unexplained.
Don’t lie or exaggerate– these details will get checked and if there are discrepancies in your dates or grades then this could jeopardise the job offer.
Now you’ve got the recipe to ensure your CV is at the best of health, for further information on applying for jobs in Jersey give one of our friendly consultants a call today.