Following are 40 CV tips that you can refer to:
1. Back up your qualities and strengths
Try not to include all your qualities, for instance: disciplined, creative, and good in solving problems); instead, combine your abilities with your real life and experiences during working. This means you should create a tight connection between these qualities and strengths, or else the readers may think your above things are highly inflated.
2. Be sure that keywords are properly used
In order to find out information about their candidates, a large number of companies (also including small ones) are using digital databases. In other words, if there is any raising question, the HR staff will search related information through certain keywords. Imagine that in case you do not include any basic information relating to the job for which you are applying in the CV, it is surely that you will be turned down before the game begins.
3. Titles or Headings which match the jobs you are applying for should be used
In many cases, employers or recruiters have received a lot of CVs, it is vital that your CV catch their attention within a short period of 5 seconds. To do this well, using job titles and headings that have some relations or match the posts you are interested in is a very wise choice. Take an instance, make a comparison between the headings Roger used in his before CV with those used in his after CV.
4. Design your CV so that it can highly attract attention
When scanning your CV, recruiters just make quick judgments. In case the job titles or the skill headings you have bolded are considered to be unrelated, they will quickly assume that you are unqualified for the job you are interested in. In addition to this problem, usually, employers do not have enough time to read your CV word by word in order to confirm whether you have had such qualifications and skills in their needs.
5. The purpose of your CV should be determined
Many CVs are written in the way that their main purpose is to land a job. Consequently, these CV are just extremely long and boring, and those who write them may look like a desperate job hunters. Remember that your CV is made to approach an interview, and the interview will be expected to bring you the job you want.
6. Efficient titles should be used
It is a fact that, most employers typically judge your CV in a 5-second glance. Within this short period, the titles listed in your CV will appear to be the most important, that is why you have to design them in order to catch the employers’ attention. Make sure that your CV be as vivid as possible, so that it can bring to the readers good information about what you have done and gained during your previous works.
7. Make the CV content attractive
As mentioned above, your CV should be designed in an impressive way; however, how to make a content that sells is of more importance. The content includes such skills, capacities that you have gained from previous jobs as well as the expected salary you want. Make a comparison between the before and after statements from the following Roger’s CV:
8. Have your CV reviewed.
Because you are the one who is so close to the job, it can be difficult for you to show off all the high points or your achievements. That is why you are advised to get someone review and give objective comments on your job search, your CV and the list of posts that fit you most. The reviewers should be asked to raise questions which can help you to find out such information you, by chance, have not included in your CV. Afterwards, make a revision and add such information in your CV. The questions can also focus on such points which raise confuse to the reader. Make your CV be much clearer thanks to these helpful inputs.
9. Your CV should be sent out to potential employers.
Be courageous to send out your CV. Regard the CV as a game in which your chance of winning increases if more CVs of you are sent. In fact, your chance of getting a job really increases whenever you send out a CV. Choose a three-tiered approach. Accordingly, send application package for the jobs that seem to be beneath you.
10. Use numbers and power words
As you can see from the following Roger’s statements, if numbers are used to describe your achievements and capacities, your image can be dramatically expanded and improved. When recruiters and employers read your CV which are used with numbers and quantities, it will be more vivid and impressive. In marked contrast, if the CV just includes some general statements, it is easily skipped over or ignored. Usually, the more detailed your CV is, the better it becomes.
11. Make an analysis of Job Ads and Descriptions so that Keywords can be easily identified
Knowing how to catch key words provided in ads or descriptions of the job opening by employers is one of the most important factors that help to make a strong CV. For instance, read the following ads that Roger saw for the post of an Accounts Receivable Manager and find out how many key words, phrases as well as skills descriptions it contains.
12. Give explanation about how beneficial your skills are
If you only say about what you can do in your CV, it will not grasp the attention of the recruiters. Instead, if you succeed in showing how many profits it can bring to the company, at the same time, connect it with visible achievements, your chance of winning the job will be surely enhanced.
13. Avoid negativity
Such items that may appear negative to the employers should not be included in your CV. This should be applied to both your CV and your interviews. For example, you should not say about things that you hated about the previous companies.
14. Say about what you have achieved, not just focus on what you have been in charge of
It will be very boring to read such CV listing only so many responsibilities and this kind of CV will not helpful in improve your image. That is why, do not just make a long list of responsibilities, instead, quote your most marked accomplishments.
15. Find out and give solutions to the hidden needs of employers.
Besides the qualifications and requirements listed in the above ads, there are more requirements that Roger should find out and show in the CV and cover letter to satisfy the employers. For instance, the employer will prefer a person who is able to cooperate with other divisions, figure out issues and records relating to accounting and know how to solve them. To be the winner in such hard competition for jobs these days, it is vital that you know the way to discover and acknowledge the full range of requirements each recruiter needs you to fulfill and let them know how you can give solutions to them.
16. Advertise the benefits that your skills can bring out
A large number of CVs contain a detailed list of tasks that the job applicants have been in charge of, but not how beneficial those skills are. A featured example is that a secretary can mark in her CV that her typing speed is 80 words per min, with great accuracy. However, this point is not efficient enough because it cannot explain how the fast typing pace and accuracy can benefit the employer’s needs.
17. Discover the problems of the employer
One way to help your CV grasp the attention from the employer is that you may discover the potential problems that the employer is worried about. Try to know thoroughly about the field of business of the company you are interested and want to work for, and discover such difficulties they are facing up with. Afterwards, make clear in your CV about how helpful you and your skills are in solving those problems.
18. Avoid discrimination in age
Discriminating people in terms of their age is illegal; however, some employers still keep this idea. This can impose a trouble, so that if you are not required to include your age in the CV; do not risk your chance.
19. Listing all of your working experiences is unnecessary
During your career so far, if any working experiences you have gained that do not make you confident or are not suitable with the current job requirements, you had better ignore them. For instance, saying that you used to work as a hamburger salesman at the age of 17 is likely not to be a help in applying for an executive post.
20. Make an image that fits your expected salary
When writing your CV, be aware of the job level and salary that you expect for. Make certain that you can create an image that helps you to be at the respective level. For instance, it will be a big difference between the language used in a CV to apply for a post which can help you earn $8 per hours and which offer you $16 per hour. Recently, I bumped to Lynn, who worked as a Health Insurance Claims Manager and earned $42,000 each year. She had applied for a post of accounting and had not got any direct experience in accounting despite her long preparations of monthly accounting reports as a Department Manager.
21. Start with your most strengths first .
Because employers often review your CVs within 30 seconds only, focus on the strong points that can greatly support your purposes of getting the job. Lead with your strengths where it is easier for them to be read.
22. Play the Game of Matching.
Make a review on the ads for the posts you are interested in. Highlight the key words that are mentioned in the ads and use them wisely in your CVs as bullets. Do not forget to add all the key words you catch in your CV.
23. Buzzwords should be properly used
In order to show your efficiency in a specific field, if there are any terms that may help, remember to add them in your CV. For example, if you want to work in the field of marketing, use words like ““competitive analysis.” Or if in accounting area, use “reconciled accounts.”
24. Be sure that your CV content is the first priority
One of the biggest mistakes that many applicants have made so far is to include their important information in the lower parts of their CV. When designing your CV, place the related statements by the level of importance, impressiveness and suitability to the job you are applying for. Do not forget that if power words and numbers are properly used in any statement, it will be of great help. Below are two examples for you to refer. Of which, what is the more influenced?
25. Think of the salary you want
The image you have created in the CV must be accordance with the salary as well as the responsibility that you may take,
26. Have someone to review your CV
Even in case you think that your CV is almost okay, it is advised that you get someone else check it for you. Typically, we cannot ourselves find out our mistakes or way of reasoning and that is why it will be a good choice to have other people make a revaluation on your CV and convey necessary recommendations.
27. Adjust and Target your CVs and cover letters
More interviews will be granted to you if you tweak your CV and application letter so that they include such particular skills that each employer asks for. For instance, at the beginning, Sally would like to work in the post of a customer service, but after that, she found the post of a Retail Management offered in an ad. Will the bulletins in the left hand column land her to the post of a Retail Manager be qualified? Or do you think the bulletins in the right hand column will increase the chance of getting more and better interviews for Retail Management positions?
28. Make clear about the objective when applying for a job before writing the CV.
When your targets are set, you can design the content of your CV in the way that suits your targets best. Think of your objective as the bull’s-eye to focus your CV on hitting. If your CV is written without any certain objective being put to it, the readers may regard it as to be unfocused. Spend some minutes to form a clear target before compiling your CV.
29. Regard your CV as a tool to sell you
Regard yourself as a product while possible employers as your clients, in this case, your CV may be considered a brochure on you. Thanks to the CV, market yourself. Clarify what your characteristics and benefits are, what helps you stand out. Such kind of information must be included in your CV.
30. Have a regular update of your CV
You had better have your CV updated regularly. All the new relevant items, all the courses, training programs as well as academic qualifications you may obtain should be updated to your CV. This is considered the best choice if you want to keep track of everything and make certain that you will not submit an out of date CV and cover letter to the recruiter.
31. Mention the ones who you worked with
If you had had chances to work with somebody that is famous in your field, mentioning in your CV is of great help. If you ever worked with presidents and CEOs, again do not forget to include them in the CV. In case you reported to or worked under with highly ranked executives, note it down in the CV.
32. Your aim in writing a CV is to approach an interview, not a job
It is unnecessary that you say about all your detailed achievements. Try to make your CV be clear and concise. Your CV is written in order to show how much you are interested in the job opening and thanks to that, an employer will offer you an interview. The interview will be the time granting you the chance to say more about what you have accomplished so far and to make you be offered the job.
33. Use shortened but concise sentences.
In the main part of your CV, i.e. the body; bullets with short descriptions are of a wise choice, but not such long paragraphs. Employers often spend a little time scanning your CV. These bold sentences help the readers find it much easier for them to glance quickly at your CV while still catching necessary information in it.
34. Design your CV so that it still has some white spaces
Do not make your CV become so full of words and words. As we said above, your CV should be composed in a scientific way, which is short but still informative enough. This means, the overall information put in the CV has to meet such requirements of the employers but you do not have add too much text, it is advised that the CV should cover one sheet of paper only. Using white spaces among words, lines and paragraphs can make your CV more beautiful and legible.
35. Make a full list of all posts you have held.
If your working time for the same company is long (over 10 years), make a list of all different positions and tasks that you were in charge of during your time there. When took each post, you may be assigned with different tasks, then you had taken different responsibilities and built different skills, so the employers are eager to know about these.
36. Use action words.
If action words are used, your CV will become more vivid. To make the real experiences and capacities into your CV, such bulleted sentenced attached with action words are necessary. Such words are: prepare, develop, monitor, present and so forth.
37. Use #’s, $’s and %’s.
Numbers, dollars, and percentages will be very impressive in the body of a CV. Therefore do not forget to use them. Following are two featured samples:
• Be in charge of a department with 10 staffs, which were granted a budget of $1,000,000
• Make sales increase by 25 % in a territory of 15 states.
38. Emphasize the positive points.
Swap all the negative and inappropriate items. In case you find out that your graduation date will have some relations to age discrimination, do not include it in your CV. If some tasks you have taken in the current job cannot bring out much help to your objective s in the next jobs, just leave them off the CV. Make concentration on the tasks that really raise some help to your target. Ignore all inappropriate private information such as how tall or how heavy you are.
39. Create an email proof formatting
In many cases, you may have to send your CV by email to companies offering the jobs. Therefore, in addition to a word document used as an attachment, a text format of your CV that does not appear disfigured is advised to be put in the main part of the email or in the online form. Such attachments can be discarded and marked as spam, therefore, it is preferred to place the CV in the body of the email.
40. Leave off your older working experiences
If you have been having for 20 years or more of working experiences, it will be a waste spending 2 pages of your CV saying all about you working experiences so far, beginning with the first job working at the local coffee shop when you were 17 years old. Most experts believe that it is enough to include the last 15 years of your working time.