--- title: Lily Shippen Recruitment Agency | Making a CV stand out description: Are you a secretarial candidate? Here's how to make your CV stand out! --- - [VACANCIES](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/our-roles) [0161 711 0767](tel:0161%20711%200767) [020 3011 5283](tel:0161%20711%200767) [![Lily_Primary_cream](https://blog.lilyshippen.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Lily_Primary_cream.png?width=8000&height=1702&name=Lily_Primary_cream.png) ![Lily_Primary_cream](https://blog.lilyshippen.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Lily_Primary_cream.png?width=4500&height=957&name=Lily_Primary_cream.png)](https://www.lilyshippen.co.uk) - [Home](https://lilyshippen.co.uk) - Looking For a Job - [Private PAs](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/private-pa-jobs) - [Business Support](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/looking-for-a-business-support-job-manchester-london) - [Human Resources](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/looking-for-a-human-resources-job) - Looking To Hire - [Executive Assistants](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/looking-to-hire-executive-assistant) - [Personal Assistants](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/looking-to-hire-personal-assistant) - [Chiefs of Staff](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/looking-to-hire-chief-of-staff) - 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[About Us](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/about-us) - [Reviews](https://www.feefo.com/en-GB/reviews/lily-shippen) - [News & Blog](https://blog.lilyshippen.com/blog) - [Contact Us](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/contact-us) ##### [**EXECUTIVE SUPPORT**](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/looking-to-hire-executive-or-business-support-staff) - [Personal Assistants](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/personal-assistant-jobs) - [Executive Assistants](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/executive-assistant-jobs) - [Chiefs of Staff](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/chief-of-staff-jobs) ##### [**PRIVATE**](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/looking-to-hire-private-pa) - [Private PAs](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/private-pa-jobs) ##### [**OFFICE SUPPORT**](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/looking-to-hire-executive-or-business-support-staff) - [Business Support](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/looking-for-a-business-support-job-manchester-london) - [Receptionists](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/receptionist-jobs) - [Temporary Recruitment](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/looking-to-hire-temporary-recruitment) - [Office Managers](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/office-manager-jobs) ##### [**HUMAN RESOURCES**](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/looking-to-hire-human-resources-staff) - [HR](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/looking-for-a-human-resources-job) ##### [**EXECUTIVE SUPPORT**](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/looking-to-hire-executive-or-business-support-staff) - [Personal Assistants](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/looking-to-hire-personal-assistant) - [Executive Assistants](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/looking-to-hire-executive-assistant) - [Chiefs of Staff](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/looking-to-hire-chief-of-staff) ##### [**PRIVATE**](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/looking-to-hire-private-pa) - [Private PAs](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/looking-to-hire-private-pa) ##### [**OFFICE SUPPORT**](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/looking-to-hire-executive-or-business-support-staff) - [Business Support](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/looking-to-hire-executive-or-business-support-staff) - [Receptionists](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/looking-to-hire-receptionist) - [Temporary Recruitment](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/looking-to-hire-temporary-recruitment) - [Office Managers](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/looking-to-hire-office-manager) ##### [**HUMAN RESOURCES**](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/looking-to-hire-human-resources-staff) - [HR](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/looking-to-hire-human-resources-staff) ##### **[WHITEPAPERS & GUIDES](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/resources)** - [When is the Right Time to Hire an EA?](https://info.lilyshippen.co.uk/when-is-the-right-time-to-hire-an-executive-assistant) - [How to Hire a Personal Assistant](https://info.lilyshippen.co.uk/hire-a-pa) - [The Evolving Role of the Executive Assistant](https://info.lilyshippen.co.uk/evolving-executive-assistant) - [Will AI replace the role of an Executive Assistant?](https://info.lilyshippen.co.uk/will-ai-replace-the-role-of-an-executive-assistant) ##### **[JOB DESCRIPTIONS](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/www.lilyshippen.co.uk/job-description-templates)** - [Personal Assistant Job Description](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/personal-assistant-job-description) - [Executive Assistant Job Description](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/executive-assistant-job-description-template) - [Chief of Staff Job Description](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/chief-of-staff-job-description-template) - [Receptionist Job Description](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/www.lilyshippen.co.uk/receptionist-job-description-template) - [LS Free EA/PA Mentoring Programme](https://info.lilyshippen.co.uk/free-ea-pa-mentoring-programme-led-by-executive-professionals) - [Salary Survey](https://info.lilyshippen.co.uk/salary-survey) ###### 2 min read # Lily Shippen Recruitment Agency | Making a CV stand out By: [Ria Cajee](https://blog.lilyshippen.com/blog/author/ria-cajee) on Nov 8, 2017 12:00:00 AM [Personal Assistant](https://blog.lilyshippen.com/blog/tag/personal-assistant) [Executive Assistant](https://blog.lilyshippen.com/blog/tag/executive-assistant) [Careers](https://blog.lilyshippen.com/blog/tag/careers) [Manchester](https://blog.lilyshippen.com/blog/tag/manchester) ![CV stand out](https://blog.lilyshippen.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/shutterstock_154839731-1-600x300-2-2.jpg?width=600&height=300&name=shutterstock_154839731-1-600x300-2-2.jpg) According to [theundercoverrecruiter.com](http://theundercoverrecruiter.com), a recruiter will receive a minimum of 54 CV’s for a UK vacancy and will spend an average time of 10 seconds deciding whether or not to shortlist your CV. I can definitely vouch for these statistics and after analysing our recent job report this morning, I discovered that our average is 171 CV’s per job (and that’s on just one of our job boards!). This doesn’t apply to just recruitment agencies as companies who have careers pages or advertise their jobs via job boards and LinkedIn are also likely to receive a high volume of CV’s, depending on the brand and role advertised. Here are some tips to make your CV stand out; - **Avoid using generic job board formats for your CV** – they can make your CV look very impersonal and this is your opportunity to get across your personality so use your own format. I think that this is even more crucial for secretarial & support candidates as formatting documents will most likely be a part of your role at some point in your career. - **Hobbies and interests**. Again, for secretarial & support candidates I think that this is important as personality is everything. Whether you are in to running, baking, knitting or socialising with friends, it helps an employer or recruiter understand you that little bit more! - **Achievements.** When interviewing for my first job in London, I forgot that I had added as one of my achievements ‘organised a group holiday for 80 people to Zante’ onto my CV. I’m not saying that this was the most professional achievement but it was definitely a conversation starter in the interview and I don’t think that there is any harm in that. - **Languages.** If you are applying for a role that may involve languages, make sure that if you speak them they are at the top of your CV so that it stands out to the employer or recruiter. - **Education.** I would always recommend putting your education at the top of your CV underneath your name. - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) #### Related Posts ### [Lily Shippen | A day in the life of a recruitment consultant The ultimate answer to this question is that there is no typical day. Every day is different,...](https://blog.lilyshippen.com/blog/day-life-recruitment-consultant) ### [Five Tips For an Effective Internal Communications Strategy We all know that effective internal communications are fundamental to business success. However,...](https://blog.lilyshippen.com/blog/5-tips-for-an-effective-internal-communications-strategy) ### [Lily Shippen Recruitment | Why Kick-start your job search in December As we make our way into December, the year feels like it’s all but over. With the nights getting...](https://blog.lilyshippen.com/blog/kickstart-job-search-december) ##### Quick Links Quick Links - [Home](https://lilyshippen.co.uk) - [About Us](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/about-us) - [Resources](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/resources) - [Contact Us](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/contact-us) - [Blog](https://blog.lilyshippen.com/blog) ##### Looking for a job Looking for a job - [Vacancies](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/our-roles) - HR Jobs London - HR Jobs Manchester - [Personal Assistant Jobs](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/personal-assistant-jobs) - [Executive Assistant Jobs](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/executive-assistant-jobs) - [Secretarial Jobs](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/secretarial-jobs) - [Chief of Staff Jobs](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/chief-of-staff-jobs) - [Office Manager Jobs](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/office-manager-jobs) - [Receptionist Jobs](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/receptionist-jobs) ##### Looking to hire Looking to hire - [SUBMIT ENQUIRY](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/contact-us-looking-to-recruit) - [Hire a Personal Assistant](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/looking-to-hire-personal-assistant) - [Hire an Executive Assistant](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/looking-to-hire-executive-assistant) - [Hire for HR](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/looking-to-hire-human-resources-staff) - [Hire a Receptionist](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/looking-to-hire-receptionist) - [Hire a Private PA](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/looking-to-hire-private-pa) - [Hire Secretarial Staff](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/looking-to-recruit/secretarial-recruitment-agencies-manchester) - [Hire an Office Manager](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/looking-to-hire-office-manager) - [Hire a Chief of Staff](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/looking-to-hire-chief-of-staff) ##### Locations Locations - London - Manchester - Remote - Cheshire - Leeds - Birmingham [![LS_Primary_cream](https://blog.lilyshippen.com/hubfs/LS_Primary_cream.png)](https://www.lilyshippen.co.uk) - [Legal Stuff](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/legal-stuff) - [Privacy Policy](https://lilyshippen.co.uk/privacy-policy/) Copyright © 2023 Lily Shippen Ltd ![Feefo_2022-1](https://blog.lilyshippen.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Feefo_2022-1.png?width=1243&height=1245&name=Feefo_2022-1.png) ![ptrustedserviceawardwhiteout](https://blog.lilyshippen.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ptrustedserviceawardwhiteout.png?width=1920&height=1920&name=ptrustedserviceawardwhiteout.png) ![Gold Trusted Service Award 2025 - Whiteout - 1x1](https://blog.lilyshippen.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Gold%20Trusted%20Service%20Award%202025%20-%20Whiteout%20-%201x1.png?width=1920&height=1920&name=Gold%20Trusted%20Service%20Award%202025%20-%20Whiteout%20-%201x1.png) ![EIDA Membership Logo White on Coral .jpg.png](https://blog.lilyshippen.com/hs-fs/hubfs/EIDA%20Membership%20Logo%20White%20on%20Coral%20.jpg.png.jpg?width=2000&name=EIDA%20Membership%20Logo%20White%20on%20Coral%20.jpg.png.jpg) ![dc_badge1](https://blog.lilyshippen.com/hs-fs/hubfs/dc_badge1.png?width=500&height=241&name=dc_badge1.png) ![Employee Wellness Awards Logo 2024 pdf](https://blog.lilyshippen.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Employee%20Wellness%20Awards%20Logo%202024%20pdf.jpg?width=2000&name=Employee%20Wellness%20Awards%20Logo%202024%20pdf.jpg)