The number of jobs advertised in the UK hit an all-time high at the start of 2018. This means there are plenty of choices out there for job seekers. The first thing you will need to sort out before you embark on your job search is your CV. Your curriculum vitae is a simple document which outlines your skills and experience to show how you are suitable for a role. It is often included with a cover letter, or cover email, and sent to HR managers and recruiters to help find a suitable role.
If you’re struggling, many recruiters recruitment agencies will offer a CV review service to make sure everything is up to scratch before you start applying for roles. If you aren’t working with a recruiter, the next best option is to give it to a friend or family member to read over.
The Best CV Writing Tips of 2018
If you’re thinking about finding a new job, you’re going to want to spruce up your CV and make sure it really stands out from the crowd. Simply adding your latest job on to an outdated CV might not be enough, instead, you should follow these tips for writing the best CV.
What to include on your CV
Your CV should never exceed two pages, which means you need to ensure you only include the most essential items. At the very least, you should include the following parts of your CV:
- Name and contact details, including your location, phone number and email address
- A personal statement or profile
- Your education history, including grades
- Your work history
What to leave off your CV
There’s plenty of bad advice circulating the internet which leads many people to make some strange additions to their CV. You don’t need to include a photograph, as it really shouldn’t be relevant to the job you are applying for. You also don’t have to include your date of birth or age. The employer will often be able to deduce a rough estimate of your age from your education and career history.
You should also take a considered approach to your work history. Once you’ve racked up a few years of experience, it might be time to take your first bar job off your CV if it isn’t relevant to the role you are applying for. You can also save space on your CV by leaving the references off. If a prospective employer is interested in hiring you, they will ask for the contact details for your references, so no need to worry about wasting space on your CV.
Be detailed
When listing your work history, be sure to include plenty of detail about your role. Don’t assume that the person receiving your CV will know exactly what your role entails. Look for opportunities to explain how you have taken on leadership responsibilities, how you’ve implemented new systems and perhaps most importantly, the computer systems and programs you are familiar with.
The personal statement
Perhaps the most important aspect of your CV is your personal statement or personal profile. This is a short paragraph at the start of your CV which really tells the world who you are. This should always be customised to the role you are applying for. In short, it should tell the person reading your CV where you have been, where you’d like to go and how working for this particular company can help. You don’t have to mention the company by name, but ensure you match up your personal profile to the job specification you are applying for.
Be honest
It’s tempting to embellish a CV in order to make yourself look more attractive to the hiring manager, but this rarely works out in your favour. If you lie about your experience or get creative with your qualifications, it isn’t going to work out in your favour as you will very quickly be caught out. If you start a job that you aren’t qualified for and it ends badly, this could also lead to a poor reference.
About the author: Paul Gordon is a digital & content marketing specialist at 720 Digital Ltd.