Preparing a great CV -7 steps to prepare a Curriculum Vitae and 5 things to get your CV noticed

Preparing a great CV -7 steps to prepare a Curriculum Vitae and 5 things to get your CV noticed

Preparing a great CV can be achieved by paying keen attention to the required steps of curriculum vitae writing that help you get noticed amongst other job applicants. Stay ahead and remain ahead by reading this post till the end.

A curriculum vitae (CV) is an employment application. It enables you to summarize your education, skills, and experience, allowing you to sell your abilities to potential employers effectively. Employers typically request a cover letter in addition to your CV.

In North America, CVs are generally referred to as résumés. Typical of such writings is their brevity and lack of concern for style.

In the United Kingdom, a standard CV should be no more than two sides of A4. That being said, this rule doesn’t necessarily apply at all times. For instance, someone who has recently finished high school or college may only require one side of an A4 sheet.

Although it is not commonly used, a three-page CV may be required for those in high-level positions or those who have gained a lot of experience or worked in multiple jobs in the last five to ten years.

Some medical or academic CVs may be longer, depending on your experience. While keeping your CV concise is important, you should also avoid selling your experience short.

To conserve space, only include the most important aspects of your education and experience. Stick to relevant information and avoid repeating yourself in your cover letter.

If you’re having trouble editing your CV, consider whether certain information sells you. If it doesn’t, remove it. If it’s irrelevant to the job you’re applying for, remove it; if it’s an old detail from ten years ago, summarize it.

Writing a good CV can be one of the most difficult aspects of job hunting. Most employers scan each CV for a few seconds before putting it in the ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ pile.

A well-written, easily understood CV/resume can help you get noticed in a crowded job market where thousands of people compete for a few openings.

Remember that potential employers will only spend a few seconds scanning your CV before making a snap judgment about you. I hope this helps illustrate why it’s important to put in the work to create a polished resume. This article will discuss a few reasons you should prepare and have a great CV.

A great CV makes you stand out from the crowd of applicants. This is because your CV is the first impression you make on a potential employer, and it will either get you through to the next stage of the application process or result in an immediate rejection.

Recruiters often receive hundreds of resumes for a single position and only have a few seconds to scan each one. A well-written and carefully tailored CV will make you stand out to recruiters and provide them with food for thought.

Among a stack of resumes, a hiring manager will choose the one that best highlights the candidate’s relevant skills, experience, and academic accomplishments. You can impress potential employers with the information they glean from your CV if you take the time to get it right.

A great CV helps land you a job.

A well-written CV allows you to sell yourself to a potential employer and demonstrate your qualifications. Forbes magazine and Harvard Business School report that having a well-written resume can increase your chances of getting hired by as much as 40 per cent.

Remember that the first impression you make on a potential employer is often the last, and use your CV to make a positive one.

A good CV features your successes. Suppose you want to show a company how valuable you have been and will be in the future. In that case, you need a professional CV that lists the relevant and most compelling details of your career, such as the impact you made in your previous positions and the tangible results you brought to your previous employer or the projects you led.

To succeed in a new position, learn what abilities are needed and then figure out how to apply the ones you already have.

If you’re applying for a position as a business administrator, for instance, be sure to highlight relevant skills like computer proficiency and knowledge of filing protocols. Doing so will guarantee that your resume is perfect in the eyes of potential employers.

When your resume looks stellar, you feel more secure in your abilities.

Today, our successes go unnoticed unless they are explicitly presented to us. Candidates who take the time to craft an impressive resume report feeling a surge of self-assurance as a direct result of their work.

Keep in mind that having faith in yourself and your abilities will allow you to apply for and pursue more challenging positions, increasing the likelihood that you will land the job of your dreams. In addition, hiring managers value assurance because they know it predicts professional and personal achievements.

Faster Results

A well-written resume can be tailored to each job application and already contains all the information a hiring manager needs to decide for you.

The most impressive CVs feature detailed descriptions of the applicants’ educational backgrounds, work experiences, key skills, strengths, and achievements, as well as their interests and volunteer work.

You’ll spend less time prepping for interviews if your CV is comprehensive because the employer can comprehensively understand your professional history with just a glance.

How to Get Your Resume Noticed

Put on a show

When it comes to curriculum vitae, presentation is everything. Your resume should be printed on good quality white paper, have a clean and organized design, and have plenty of white space around the text and between the different sections so that it can be easily read.

Recruiters spend only a few seconds on each CV they receive, so make it easy for them by using bullet points, short sentences, and obvious headers.

Improve your writing abilities.

Creating a resume that will get you noticed takes a lot of planning. Before applying, ensure your resume is free of typos and grammatical or contextual mistakes.

Use a variety of active verbs, such as “presented,” “designed,” and “liaised,” to demonstrate initiative. Rather than using cliches like “enthusiastic,” “multi-tasker,” or “creative-thinker,” demonstrate these traits through specific examples from your past work experience.

Bring attention to your strengths and passions.

If the skills you possess match exactly what a recruiter is looking for, you will stand out from the crowd of applicants. Include non-technical accomplishments, including participation in a local sports team, and your technical accomplishments.

Instead of listing passive activities like “knitting” or “watching TV,” you could list all the skills you’ve acquired while working in positions of responsibility.

Focus on the outcomes

A more convincing argument is one supported by hard data. Write “I increased traffic by 56% for client X by implementing XYZ strategy” rather than “I increased traffic for client X.”

You can also say, “I helped client X increase revenue by Y and enhance brand awareness by Z%,” instead of “I helped client X grow by leaps and bounds.”

Customize your CV for each Job position you apply for.

Before making any changes to your resume to make it seem more relevant, you should familiarize yourself with the company’s values and the specifics of the position you’re applying for.

Always remember the importance of using up-to-date language that reflects the standards of the sector you are working in. It’s a good sign that you know what’s expected of you in the position when you can highlight your past successes in light of those criteria.

Important steps to note when preparing a good CV

1. Be honest!

The standard length of a CV is no more than two sides of A4 paper. Employers spend an average of 8 seconds reviewing each CV, and sending them your entire life story is a surefire way to land yourself on the no pile. Keep it short and to the point, and save the nitty-gritty details for the interview.

2. Customize it

It’s something we’ve all done. To save time, I sent the same CV to multiple employers… Stop! To maximize your chances of getting hired, you should spend time customizing your resume for each job you apply for. Investigate the company and use the job advertisement to determine EXACTLY what skills you should highlight to them. They will recognize your obvious effort.

3. Write a personal statement.

Don’t assume that an employer will recognize how your experience relates to your position. Instead, use a brief personal statement to explain why you are the best candidate for the position. This should also be reflected in your cover letter (see our cover letter tips).

4. Do not leave any gaps.

We are a cynical bunch, and leaving obvious gaps on your CV makes employers suspicious – and they will not give you the benefit of the doubt. It’s understandable to be concerned if you’ve been out of work, but try to look on the bright side.

Did you take a class, volunteer, or work on soft skills like communication, teamwork, or project management? If so, let everyone know! Check out our CV template for the currently unemployed for more information.

5. Keep it up to date

Whether or not you’re looking for work, you should keep your CV updated. Every time something significant happens in your career, note it, so you don’t forget something important later.

6. Your error in judgment

Employers DO look for errors on CVs, and if they do, it makes you look bad. It’s not worth the risk of having your application rejected due to simple mistakes, especially since most companies have many people applying for jobs. If unsure, use a spellchecker and have someone else double-check your work. Also, don’t overlook the most common CV mistakes.

7. Be truthful

Is it not true that everyone who ever applied for a job lied on their resume? NO! Stop! When it comes to employers checking your background and references, telling outright lies on your CV can get you in a lot of trouble.

The last thing you want is to start a new job and be fired for lying. You may also be caught off guard during the interview stage if you suddenly find yourself unable to answer questions about what you claim to know. And that can be extremely awkward!

The Mathematics

This may appear tedious, but backing up your accomplishments with numbers makes selling yourself much easier. When describing your work history, don’t just say you increased sales; tell them you increased sales by 70% in six months. Get it? Big numbers are especially appealing (but don’t forget about point 7 on our list!).

Make it look nice.

We live in a world where the image is everything, and your CV is no exception. Please spend some time beautifying it… Make use of bullet points and keep your sentences short.

To make the layout easier on the eyes, use the graphic design trick of leaving plenty of white space around text and between categories. Alternatively, make your job application stand out!

Make it keyword-friendly.

Keywords are important if you’ve uploaded your CV to a job site so recruiters can find you. Job titles and buzzwords will help a search engine pick your CV out of the crowd. Confused? Don’t be that way.

A marketing candidate may list SEO (Search Engine Optimization), direct marketing, and digital marketing as examples of their experience and skills… If unsure, conduct an online search and see what words frequently appear when entering your job title.

Finally, when applying for jobs, your CV will get you noticed. Learn the ins and outs of creating a professional curriculum vitae, or CV, and get pointers on what to include in your marketing brochure.

Now you know why you need a great CV and how to prepare one!