Top 6 CV tips to help you get that all-important interview
Your CV is your first point of contact with a potential employer. It is the first opportunity to get yourself noticed and make a good first impression. Here are some tips to help you improve your CV.
1. Make your CV easy to read
Keep your CV simple and interesting. Employers will have a lot of CVs to review, so you should keep it clear and precise. Avoid using colours either than black and keep your font professional and simple (fonts such as Verdana or Tahoma can give your CV a fresher feel.)
2. Tailor your CV for the job you want
Make sure that each CV you send out is tailored to the job that you are applying for. Do some research into the company and the position you are applying for. When writing your skills section, use adjectives similar to those used in the job advertisement. If you aren’t applying for a specific job, but you know what type of roles you are interested in, read through job adverts designed to help you understand different jobs, such as Prospects.
3. Make sure its current
Read through your CV and make sure that is current and up to date. Update your CV whenever you gain a new skill or qualification. Your career goals may change over time and your CV should reflect this.
4. Avoid having gaps in your work history
If you have recent gaps in your work history, you will need to account for them. If you have been out of work for a short period of time, you can deflect attention by giving the dates of employment in years, rather than in months, for example, 2014- 2016. If you have been out of work for more than a couple months, show how you used the time efficiently.
5. Check your Grammar
Make sure you check through your CV for spelling and grammatical errors. Get someone else to check it as well. Mistakes in your CV may lead to your application being rejected.
6. Don’t write in the third person
When writing your personal statement, avoid writing in the third person. Your CV is a communication between you and a potential employer, so it should be written in the first person.
