Ensure that your CV highlights key skills, experience and achievements that are relevant to the job description. Be sure to tailor your CV to the company and its ethos if you can.
Choose between a chronological, functional or hybrid format depending on your situation and career goals. Always try to focus on describing your work experience in terms of impact rather than responsibilities.
1. Choose the Right Format
Choosing one of the best resume templates is important to ensure it meets the needs of your job search. Some industries require different formats, for example, a creative field may require a more visually engaging design.
For a more traditional and classic look, go with a chronological resume format. It highlights your work experience in order, making it easy for hiring managers to identify key strengths and any notable gaps in employment.
A functional resume format places more emphasis on your skills and abilities rather than career or education-based experience. It’s a great choice for career changers, new graduates or anyone looking to highlight transferable skills. This style can also help mask any gaps in your work history.
2. Be Specific
Employers looking at your CV want to see how you will benefit their business. To do so, they need to know about your experience and qualifications in more detail than just your title and dates of employment.
For each job you have held, provide specific, quantifiable details about your duties and responsibilities that are relevant to the position you’re applying for. For example, rather than simply stating that you managed customer service, explain how you increased customer satisfaction by increasing the number of calls handled per day or the percentage of customers satisfied with deliveries to their departments.
Try to limit the length of your resume to one page, unless you have good reasons to write a longer version (like extensive work experience or a broad range of highly applicable skills). This will make it easier for hiring managers to read and digest your information.
3. Make It Easy to Read
A good resume should be easy to read and understand. Stick to a font size and style that hiring managers are familiar with. Use bold or italicized sections for your work experience, education, and skills. It’s also a good idea to make sure your language is professional and free of grammatical errors. Using an online grammar checker is helpful for this, as is asking a friend to review it for you.
If you’re applying for a job that requires experience in a specific industry, be sure to tailor your resume to fit the company’s expectations. For example, if you’re applying for a position at a startup, you may want to include more creative elements to show your uniqueness. On the other hand, a more traditional employer might prefer a more traditional format.
4. Be Creative
When writing about your qualifications and experience, be creative by incorporating powerful verbs and adjectives. This will help the recruiter get a better idea of your skill set and how you can add value to their team.
Don’t forget to carefully check your spelling and grammar and save the file with a name that identifies you as the author. Finally, send your CV as a PDF, unless the job advert asks for it in another format.
