Some time ago, the most important part of a job hunt was preparing the right CV. In whatever format, a proper resume was a job seeker’s best chance of earning a spot in a company of his desire.
However, interview performance is now seen as the ultimate test because it shows how charismatic an individual is. Potential is everything nowadays, but make no mistakes. CVs still have an importance in the job market.
Think of a good CV as an ad for your skills and capabilities. At the moment of application, a CV is the best representation of your professional profile.
How can you increase your chances of being called up for an interview? Here are 7 ways to make your CV look impressive.
- Prepare it on time
Isn’t it surprising? Perhaps the most important advice is making sure you’re always prepared. Before spotting job opportunities, your chances of getting interviewed or being hired will be higher if you always have a CV ready.
“Most job candidates don’t realize the value of preparation,” stated Mike O’Leary, a CV expert at EssayOnTime. “By preparing a CV well in advance, your only duties will be to click “send” and wait for a response. Also, a properly prepared CV gives you more time to prepare for any specific demands by the employer.”
Employers want to see precision. By having a hastily done CV, you will come off as an irresponsible person incapable of planning ahead.
- Tailor-make it
The chances are that you have already done substantial work in your life. Whether it is a seminar at college, a conference that you’ve attended in high school or even a managerial position – it goes in the CV.
A packed-CV is always good to see. However, there is a line to be drawn as to what is relevant and what is not. Not every employer values the same things in your CV. Thus, you have to focus on what is important for that job in particular.
“People are usually overly ambitious when it comes to assembling their CVs,” exclaims Laura Wood, manager from a London company. “If we are looking for a senior developer, we won’t be swept off of our feat when we read about your knowledge of ancient Greek.”
- Make it brief and readable
Strengthening your CV doesn’t always mean that you should add more details to it. Many job seekers get anxious about their chances of getting hired, so they write long descriptions of their previous experiences.
This move creates an aesthetically impressive CV but ends up in the trash when the employer realizes how long he or she has to read it. Readability is very important.
Don’t worry about lessening your chances of getting called up for an interview. If an employer wants to hear more about something, he’ll happily ask you to talk about it during the interview.
- Have paragraphs, sections, bullet points, and enough space
Never concern yourself with making your CV seem too long. Employers and recruiters from the company’s HR department DO read CVs. All it takes is just 8.8 seconds to impress an employer. Focus more on the content quality of the CV.
You’ve probably decided how you’re going to talk about your credential’s experiences in short. Now, the key lies in laying everything out in an aesthetically pleasing way.
Remember to group related things into lists, marked by bullet points. If there is a description involved, construct it so that there are 3 sentences at most per paragraph. Doing so will help you add a pleasant tone to your CV. An employer will love the different font sizes, bolded headings, divided sections and most importantly – clarity.
- Wording is everything
Let’s be fair for once – the corporate world is all about wording. Employers want good wording in CVs because it shows that a candidate can present themselves. In most cases, this is closely related to job names.
“Oftentimes, we come across excellent CVs regarding content, but rubbish in terms of wording,” tell us Gerard Pyke, an HR profession from a NYC startup. “If you were tasked with collecting money for a high school fair, you can make it seem impressive by the wording. How does “part-time assistant financial manager for cultural festivities?”
- Continuing Professional Development – CPD
What does every employer want the most? Above all credentials, charisma, traits and everything else, it’s a will to improve oneself and be more knowledgeable. Thus, a strong CV must contain your current professional endeavors and the way they improve your existing skills.
Many companies hire based on potential. If they see you are investing in yourself, you will likely get called up.
Don’t worry, CPD can be everything. Started learning Dutch on Duolingo a week ago? Add it. Have been reading about particle physics and its basics? Add it. No matter how badly you want to describe your CPD, keep track of advice #3. Just stating it will do the trick.
- Update on a regular basis
Yes, that’s right. A capable professional that you are, you are most likely always administering CPD to your skills and credentials.
In sync with, advice #1, you don’t want to add accomplishments to your CV with a limited amount of time left. Think about how often do you attend seminars and accomplish CV-worthy things and set a frequency of you updating your CV.
For instance, check every CV of yours every 2 or 3 months. In just minutes, you can calmly add your new accomplishments and see the CV grow.
To conclude
Timing is everything. Calmly crafting your CV before you even apply for a job is important. By gradually adding new accomplishments, you won’t be in a rush. Don’t overdo it, make it readable and watch the wording you use. By applying these tips to your CV crafting process, calls for interviews will blow up your phone.
