We do not offer CV writing services, as we are not professional resumé copywriters, but we have seen, over the past 12 years + plenty of CVs and we will share here a few tips that you can use when writing your CV.
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The big NO – NO's
- For the love of all that is Holy, please do not, do not, write your CV in Excel – Yes! It happens! Yes, it does exist!
Even the most hardcore Excel fans will have difficulty reading it.
- Keep an easy-to-read format
Hiring Managers / Recruiters review a lot of CVs, which put a lot of strain on the eyes – making your CV cluttered, hard to follow, with a lot of design/art incorporated or off-putting colours, makes it so much harder to read and evaluate.
Even for a design / creative type of job – keep it simple and in it, include a Link to your creative portfolio and go wild there – but for CVs, keep it clean, simple, and easy to read.
- Remove unnecessary details that take up space
Details like your home address, date of birth, landline number (no one calls landlines anymore), passport number, marriage status, etc., take up valuable space and frankly are NOT needed.
Just stick to your e-mail, contact number, and link to professional work (where applicable).
Whilst we're at it, remove "References available upon request" – if it's needed, they'll ask
- Check your formatting & spelling
Avoid grammar mistakes, syntax mistakes, and cluttered formatting
Check, double-check, have someone else check, and then check again ??
- Ensure your CV is in the primary language needed for the job
For example, don't send your CV written in French for an English-speaking job – chances are the hiring manager/recruiter won't understand a thing and yes, it does happen
- Follow a chronological order
Frankly, it makes the most sense – no one wants to scroll down 2 pages to get to the present.
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The Big YES – YES
- List your achievements at the top of the profile
Get rid of the impersonal "professional summary" and list your achievements at the top and your most pertinent skill set
Adapt this to each role you are applying for, to ensure you extract and present the most important areas of your expertise in relation to the role you are applying for.
- List your responsibilities with "created benefit" in mind
Instead of "Filing documents " try " Organised corporate paperwork by date/client / ( whatever system you used), ensuring the firm complies with best management practice and legal obligations and has easy and timely access to information"
Avoid basic tasks that take up space and add no value to your specific role: for example, if you are an accountant, listing your responsibility as " answering emails/calls " is redundant.
Intentionally simplistic and exaggerated, but you get the point ??
Do you need any career advice?
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