Steve, Resourcing Executive:
Pay attention to detail. Recruiters and hiring managers may judge you on formatting errors, so make sure you check structure, spelling and punctuation. These mistakes could be the difference between being selected for an interview or not.
Make sure your key skills and experiences are detailed on your profile so that you can be matched to relevant job adverts. Also, only list qualities that you actually have experience in - if you list every skill under the sun, you mayget found out at interview stage!
Be concise! 10 page CVs are a big no and may be rejected due to length. Try and keep your CV to 2 pages - you should be able to grab the hiring manager’s attention with your most recent experience if you use relevant language (see previous tip).
Ellen, Talent Acquisition Manager:
Make sure your contact details are correct on your CV – there’s nothing worse than realising that you’ve included your old phone number or email address after you’ve submitted your application!
Include start and end dates for your previous roles. This can save the recruiter having to go through this with you during your first interview. You want to showcase your skills and experiences during the interview, not explain your work history.
Jules, Recruitment Business Partner:
Keep it simple and up-to -date. Simplicity allows the recruiter to easily pick out your skills and see why you might be the right candidate for the role. The information should all be up-to-date so that the recruiter gets a clear idea of what you have been doing recently.
Tailor your CV to highlight your skills for that dream job. Also, remember to check and check again!
Ewa, Recruitment Support Executive:
Include your most relevant experience and dates of employment. This shows prospective employers which roles your expertise have come from. It can be very helpful for employers to see how long you have worked in your previous (and current) roles.
Clearly state your skills - this shows prospective employers the areas that you’ll excel in. Make sure you pay particular attention to the skills which are most relevant to the job you’re applying for.
Make sure your CV is aesthetically pleasing and check for any spelling errors. The visual quality of CV says a lot about the person it belongs to. Spelling mistakes are a no go – they show extreme lack of attention to detail.
Dan, Resourcing Executive:
Be honest – don’t make up things that you haven’t done or include half-truths because they’ll get found out! Your CV should be a clear and accurate reflection of your skills and experiences.
Be transparent about your previous work history. If you’ve had a gap in your CV, or left a permanent position soon after starting it, clearly display the reasons why.
Try to put your personality into your CV. There is no correct structure for the perfect CV, so conveying what you are like as a person will make it stand out from the crowd!
To see a list of our current vacancies, click here.
Date added: 13th August 2020