As International Recruitment Consultants, we help job seekers through every step of their career and that starts with the CV. CVs are an essential part of the recruitment process and yours can make the difference between getting that all important first interview or not.
As our International Recruitment Consultants are CV experts! Our teams screen thousands of CVs each week and help job seekers to optimise them. I asked our teams what think are the top tips to succeed in any CV writing and here they are!
1 – Length
Length matters. There are a lot of opinions across the globe on how long your CV should be, but what really matters – Is it readable, does it highlight your skills and experience, does it tell the story of your career? This means if you have 20 years’ experience, it is not expected that you fit it all onto a one page CV, but likewise, graduates with little to no experience don’t try to pad out a document to 5 pages, keep it simple and keep it relevant!
A simple format can go along way to ensuring your key experience is noticed! Our recruiters are on hand to give their expert advice on CV formatting to all our job seekers.
2 – Triple check your CV
It goes without saying that grammar and spelling mistakes do not make a great first impression. Take the time to proofread your CV. You can even ask friends and family to read it as well. Our expert Recruiters will help you format your CV professionally, so that it is well-structured, with your skills and achievements highlighted.
3 – Answer the reader’s questions
You should aim to ensure that there are no unanswered questions that could hinder your chance to get that all important first interview. For example, if you have taken any gap years make sure to note them down in the gaps of your CV.
If you have any doubts about what you should include, give our Recruiters the full information and we will help guide you on what information is relevant, what to highlight, what is irrelevant and importantly, what you might have forgotten to include.
4 – Be Unique
Explain your experience, skills, career highlights in a simple and easy to read way. If you are coming from another industry, make sure the ‘terms’ used are transferable. You need to ensure your unique and transferable skills are understood.
It is also important to make your CV unique to you, by including experiences which reflect your personality such as travelling or volunteer work. These might give your CV the edge it needs but also will give the hiring manager a true view of who you are and if you are a fit not only for the role but potentially the team and culture too. When you write your CV, write it so that you project yourself both as a professional, but also to ensure you include your individuality.
5 – Tailor your CV to the job
One size does not fit all. Ensure your CV is tailor-made for the job and company you are sending it to. Our expert Recruiters will help you highlight key achievements as well as transferable skills which are relevant to the opportunity you are applying for. Aim to have your introduction or opening paragraph targeted to relevant skills and experiences. Make it easy for the reader to see at a glance why you are suitably matched for the job.
Do you want help optimising your CV? Ensure that your skills and experience are presented in the best way possible by giving our International Recruitment Consultants a call.
You can also send us your CV at careers@spotonconnections.com! Using our 30 steps process our expert International Recruitment Consultants will help you every step of the way, including helping you structure your CV to be the best that it can possibly be!
Our expert Recruiters go over the many different ways to optimise your CV in your initial career consultation, so don’t hesitate to contact us!