Your CV is important, it is the first point of contact with any potential employer and could make or break your chances of an interview. Nowadays, whenever available positions are advertised, businesses can be inundated with hundreds of applications all of which include a Curriculum Vitae.
Ultimately, CV’s need to have 3 basic building blocks; they need to have content, that content needs to be relevant and the finished document needs to be accessible – people should be able to ready it easily.
Once you have the basics sorted it’s time to add some flare to ensure you stand out from the other applicants. To increase your chances of being invited to an interview, we have put together our top 10 tips to get your resume noticed.
1. Put Yourself In Their Shoes
Put yourself in the shoes of the person who will be reading that CV. Ensure your content is relevant by thinking about what is relevant to them, the role and the industry.
2. Do Your Research
It is always good practice to research the company and the position in detail. However, we would advise you to go one step further and adapt your CV for each position by highlighting your most aligned experience.
3. Read Job Descriptions
Look at a variety of Job Descriptions for the type of role you are applying for to pick up on frequently listed requirements. Make sure these requirements are listed in your CV with evidence.
4. Add Value
What makes you invaluable? Explain in detail where you have specifically added value in your professional and personal life. How did you do this and what were the results of your input?
5. Take It Up A Level
It’s great to talk about your responsibilities and education but what have you achieved? Try to keep your CV achievement focused and make those achievements quantifiable.
6. Make An Impact
As mentioned above, your CV is likely to be one of potentially hundreds an employer will come across so you need to make your CV punchy. Keep it concise, factual, and easy to read.
7. What Makes You Different
No two people are the same, what makes you different to other applicants? This could be your achievements, but it could also be your attitude or passion!
8. Align Your Values
Every company has a mission, vision and values, make sure you research these. Think about how these relate to your personal values and include this in your CV where relevant.
9. Be Honest
Honesty is always the best policy. Really think about the position you are applying for and be honest about what you can bring to the table.
Avoid exposing weaknesses by focusing on what you can do.
10. Give It Purpose
What is you goal in life? What is your purpose? Use a cover letter to explain why you want the job you are applying for and write it in a way that the person reading it can relate to.
These CV tips should be enough to get you started, but if you feel you would benefit from an expert opinion we recommend you speak with Richmond Solutions, who provide expert interview coaching and CV writing services.
At Harper Fox Partners, all of our shortlisted candidates are compared side by side, measuring aptitude, skill, leadership style, team suitability, strength and development areas. This rigorous leadership talent assessment produces a comprehensive candidate overview enabling businesses to make informed and rewarding long-term hiring decisions. Find out more about our Leadership Talent Assessment here.
