It can be difficult to find the right fit when you are searching for a job. In many cases you have had to study for a degree even to be eligible to apply, and then once you apply there are hundreds of other people who are also fighting for the same position. That’s why it’s important to make your CV stand out from the crowd, and ensure that your name is the first one they remember when filling the job. Here are five tips to make your CV stand out.
Keep it short and sweet
People have a tendency to want to list every job they have ever done and every grade they have ever received on their CV, but in reality this will make it long and uninteresting – which won’t endear you to a potential employer. Stick to the last five years of employment history (or last three jobs) unless you have some experience that makes you particularly relevant for the role further back, and only list your highest level qualifications as these supersede anything that you received previously anyway.
Show them your strengths straight away
Many employers don’t have a lot of time to read through every single CV from start to finish, so you want to make sure you have got all of your salient points listed right at the top of the page. Start your CV with a small description of your best skills, and this will give the employer a taster of what is to come throughout the rest of your CV. If you have skills in any kind of design, this is also another chance to make your CV stand out, as you can design a CV that shows off your skills at a glance for the potential employer.
Have multiple CVs
It might seem tempting to spend all of your time curating one perfect CV that will act as a catch-all for any job that you are going to apply to, but if you are applying to a couple of different industries then I would recommend having CVs that are tailored to them specifically. For example you could have a CV that focuses on customer service, one that focuses on administrative work and so on. This will also help you keeping your CV as short as it can be, by eliminating skills and experience being listed that isn’t relevant to the job you are applying for.
Let your personality shine through
When you are employing a new candidate, it gets really boring to hear that everybody is a ‘team player who is also self-motivated’ and all of the other cliches that appear on every CV. Think about the strengths that are unique to you and include them, and if you want to add some hobbies at the end be really honest. You might find that you list something like ‘I like to play D&D on Friday nights’ and send it in to a company who has an existing D&D club so you will immediately stand out to them as somebody who would fit into their workplace.
Ask somebody else to check your CV
When we look at something for too long, we lose our ability to see the mistakes, so sending out a CV that hasn’t at least been glanced out by somebody else could be a recipe for disaster. Ask a friend or trusted family member – or even better, use a CV checking service – and have them read through your CV thoroughly to make sure that it makes sense and that there are no silly mistakes. Spelling and grammatical errors can make you look unprofessional, and you want your CV to be top tier for everybody who reads it.
Do you take pride in your CV? Share your tips for ensuring your CV is eye-catching enough to get you the job.
Heavensa also known as Heaven’s A Dreamy Life is the digital home of Gee, a UK-based content creator and entrepreneur.