Although structuring your CV can feel like a daunting task, ultimately, you are celebrating your achievements and displaying, on paper, the excellent attributes you can bring to a new role and company. So instead of looking at updating your CV as a chore, remember that you are demonstrating to a prospective employer the skills and value, you will add to their business, and if you stick to these five basic tips, then you shouldn’t go far wrong!
1. Keep it brief...
You should always include a personal statement to begin with, which gives a concise overview of who you are, and it should communicate your value. You could also potentially outline your career objectives within this opening statement, but again, don’t get carried away by going into too much unnecessary detail.
2. Chronological Order – always!
A prospective employer should find your CV an easy read, they should not be confused as to what date you started where! The first paragraph under the heading “Employment” should include the name of your most recent employer and the dates you started and concluded working there; then, you simply work your way backwards, listing previous roles you have held underneath this.
3. Formatting – consistency is key.
Be consistent with the way you present your information. For example, if you start to list the duties you executed in one role by way of a bullet-pointed list, then make sure you continue this format throughout and list the range of duties you undertook in a different role, in the same way.
Also, if you are using paragraphs, make sure that they are set out in a uniform fashion, and that the alignment is consistent. The first letter of each new sentence should sit directly underneath the first letter of the sentence above.
4. Include your Education/Qualifications.
No matter what level you are educated to, ensure that you include all qualifications you have successfully achieved on your CV. Not to discredit University degrees in any way, I am, however, pleased to say that many roles in the present day don’t require individuals to be degree educated. That being said, and although experience in the working world is much more valuable to prospective employers, if you outline your education status from the outset, it saves them having to enquire and shows you have thought ahead to furnish them with all necessary information.
5. Outline your achievements
It is often one of the most argued points regarding CV writing whether you should include external achievements or “hobbies” at the end of your CV. I personally think that providing a brief insight into your achievements or interests outside of work brings a CV to life and allows more of your personality to shine through. However, don’t get too personal – there is a fine line, and I would advise you not to blur it! Make sure your points are relevant and, more important, appropriate for people to read. After all, don’t forget, the primary purpose that a prospective employer is reading your CV, is to understand your skillset and to see if you would be sufficient in executing the role they are recruiting for. Although, of course, cultural fit, now more than ever before, is a big focus for a lot of businesses, therefore, applying a personable and relatable tone in some areas of your CV is certainly prudent, but be careful not to overshare – not everyone wants to know that you like to listen to Celine Dione when you’re doing the ironing!
As a recruiter, reading CVs every day is a given, and each and every one is different – which is what makes them so interesting! There is no right or wrong way to construct a CV as, ultimately, how a person does this is unique to them and demonstrates their individuality and creative flare. The above tips are simply helpful pointers on how to present the information in the most reader-friendly way possible. If there is a job specification you can cater your CV to complement, without bending the truth in any way, then I would also always recommend you do this. If you can make your skillset relevant and applicable to the position you are applying for, then you have a better chance of being shortlisted and brought forward for an interview.
