- Include a covering letter and remember that employers will be looking for good communication skills as well as technical expertise.
- Keep your CV to 2 pages if possible. Recruiters want a clear concise document which is easy to read, so use bullet points – no-one wants to scan through ‘War and Peace’ to try to extract the most relevant information.
- Check and double check spelling and grammar – we once had a candidate who told us he was “responsible for ruining a department of 20” – it certainly ruined his chances of an interview.
- Make sure your CV is in a recogniseable format – ideally Word or pdf - you’d be amazed at the weird and wonderful attachments we get which we can’t open as no-one has ever heard of the software.
- Don’t start with your first job – the experience gained in your present post will be the most relevant to the job for which you are applying.
- Don’t try to hide gaps in your employment. Recruiters like to see precise dates, so if you have a gap because you went travelling, then say so. Avoid writing too much and don’t ramble - use bullet points.
- Focus on specific achievements or results – where you have saved the company time or money for example – this proactively demonstrates an ability to add value– and try to show progression. Employers are keen to pick out achievements and development rather than just lists of duties.
- Make sure that your CV is tailored to the job that has been applied for – recruiters need to pinpoint skill sets quickly. And briefly outline the nature of the business of your employers and give some idea of their size.
- Don’t get carried away with interests and never put fictitious achievements on your CV – you will get caught out. Most recruiters have a knack for spotting exaggeration and distortion and so if you claim near fluency in a language while your real ability peters out after ordering a sandwich and a beer then don’t be surprised if you get tested! And don’t list every hobby you’ve ever had a go at – brevity is the watchword.
- Bear in mind that recruiters are looking for “rounded characters” and “team players” and so this section is a chance to show your personality! Team sports for example can demonstrate motivation and commitment.
