CV Tips and Tricks

Nowadays, the best approach is to tailor your CV to the job, or jobs, you are applying for. This may mean you need to create multiple CV's if you are applying to multiple roles, as there may be differences in the roles you are applying for and the types of skills and experience each company is looking for.

An obvious tip is to make sure you highlight the skills on your CV that match the job description. But you can go further than this – take a look at the company’s website and social media channels. Does your CV paint a picture of someone who would fit in well in this environment? This is a great way to let the hiring manager know that you’re a strong fit for this company.

It’s standard practice to list your career history in chronological order on your CV, and nine times out of ten this is probably the best approach to take.

But it’s important to use some common sense. You might have jumped around jobs a little, and that’s fine. However, you should make sure your most recent and relevant projects are the first thing the hiring manager will see on your CV. There’s no point in your first page being filled with positions irrelevant to the role you’re applying for.

Being concise on your CV is key; if you have so much experience that every word of your four page CV offers something of value then that’s okay. However, you’ll probably be able to trim your CV quite easily, two pages is usually the optimal length.

Imagine you are in the Hiring Manager's shoes reading through application after application; a concise and punchy CV is going to stand out. By getting straight to the point you are demonstrating that you have taken time to refine your skills and experience that are relevant to the role.

If you’re looking or willing to re-locate for a position, you should briefly reference this in an opening statement.

From a hiring manager’s perspective, if they get an application for a job in Manchester from someone living in London, they may think you’ve just applied on a whim, or misread the location of the advert, so be sure to be clear in your application.

A bit of subliminal messaging can work a treat; if you can mirror some of the language you see in the advert on your CV, you’re already showing that you’re a great fit for this role. This instantly offers the impression that you’ll fit in with the role you’re applying for. 

When it comes to writing down your history listing technical skills and experience is obviously crucial, but it’s equally important to make sure you explain the benefit your work has had on the company. Contextualising and demonstrating how your technical ability made an impact on the company, people, systems or processes, is very powerful. You’re then offering more than just a shopping list of your abilities; you’re highlighting how your skills directly benefited your past employer.

As a rule of thumb it's fine to mention your hobbies or interests on your CV, just be careful not to go overboard. A lot of people seem scared to do this, but if it’s relevant to the role, or you think it adds value, then go for it!

However, if you are struggling to stay within the standard two pages, this should probably be the first thing to cut. The golden rule is to think about the job you’re applying for; will putting your hobbies in make you more attractive to the hiring manager? If so, then pop them in.

Your CV is potentially the first impression an employer receives of you, so keep it tidy to give off a great first impression.

Make sure the font size is consistent, we recommend using the same typeface throughout your CV. A messy CV is a bad idea; it makes it look like you’ve put minimal effort in, and is the best way to get your CV thrown straight out of contention.

Gaps in your CV are fine – life happens. But you need to be able to contextualise it; don’t just leave an unexplained five year career break in your CV. You should provide a reason for time away from work; if there was a personal circumstance that lead to time out, then don’t be afraid to include this- it doesn't need to be explicit, just a reference, for example, maternity leave, family grievance. 

Job hopping can often be looked on unfavorably within the job market, so give yourself the best chance and explain this concisely on your CV.

Anyone you trust! After reading your own words over and over again, you can become numb to your own mistakes. It’s a good idea to get a friend, mentor or colleague to look over your CV; you’ll probably be surprised by the amount of errors they manage to find.

There are many grammar and spell checker tools out there which can do this for you as well.