Is Your CV Being Thrown In The Bin?
So you have finally finished your CV, countless hours perfecting those job descriptions and finding those interesting things about yourself because putting ‘socialising with friends’ under your hobbies section was not an option.
Now, the job search starts! You’re sending your CV out left, right and centre, everything seems to be going okay. Then… you receive the rejection emails or even worse, no response at all! Is your CV being thrown in the bin?
Did you know that over two thirds of CVs are rejected at the first stage of the recruitment process?
You need your CV to stand out from the crowd… to sit on your potential employer’s desk, not in their bin. Here’s how…
5 Top Tips to Improve Your CV
- Size really does matter
When it comes to your CV – the size matters. Keep it a maximum of two pages long, anything more than that is not going to be given the time of day. Instead of lengthy descriptions use bullet points. This has two positives – it’s less for you to write and it is easier for the person reading your CV to pick up key points.
- Make it bespoke
Online templates are tempting, however by doing that you are making yourself look like everyone else. Making your CV stand out can be as easy as changing the colour of the paper – or maybe you could design your own template?
- Put a face to the CV
Why not add a picture of yourself? (No filters though!) There’s no better way to top off a CV than with a picture of its owner. Remember to keep it professional, (although your party photo got 150 likes on Instagram, potential employers are probably not going to be impressed.)
- Check, check and check again
Double check your spelling and grammar, have someone else check it for you too. This not only shows off your ability to string together a perfect sentence, it also shows employers that you have an eye for detail. Let’s face it if you are making spelling mistakes on your CV are potential employers going to trust you sending emails to their customers?
- Talk to the professionals
One of the best ways to take the stress out of CV writing and job hunting is to work with a recruiutment agency. The friendly team at Essential Results is on hand to give feedback and suggestions about your CV and to access a network of great employers to find the perfect role for you.
Keep going…
Even when you have the perfect CV a job search can definitely take some perseverance! “All you can do is keep trying and follow up on any responses, whether they are good or bad, as they are likely to give you useful feedback,” says Kieron of Essential Results. “Whether you’ve been searching for two days or two months, these top tips will help. You are doing a great job and hopefully your search will end soon!”