How Your CV Can Stand Out From The Crowd

When you are applying for jobs, you are usually up against some competition and this is why it is important to ensure your CV stands out from the crowd. Most recruiters are only quickly scanning CV’s, and as such, yours needs to make an impact – quickly. These are some ways you can ensure your CV stands out.

Summarise First

You should start your CV with a summary of your key skills and experience, as well as your main accomplishments. Some recruiters are only looking to pull out keywords from your CV or they may even just put the CV through a system to pick out your skills. Make it clear from the start what you do, what you’re looking for and any key achievements. Use keywords throughout the CV, especially those relevant to the role you are applying to.

Tailor CV

Every job is different and therefore, it is important to tailor your CV to suit the job description. This is something most candidates don’t do, so it will truly make you stand out. Recruiters are usually just looking to quickly see that you fit the requirements of the role and tailoring your CV will make this more likely.

Results Driven

Wherever possible, specify the results you have achieved, rather than just your responsibilities. For example, ‘you achieved ** sales’, rather than you were carrying out sales calls, or ‘you achieved ** social media growth’, rather than you managed your client’s social media platforms. If you can qualify your jobs with the results you achieved, you are more likely to stand out.

Get the Basics Right

While it’s important that your CV has great content, don’t forget about the basics. If you have spelling and/or grammatical errors on your CV, you will stand out, but for all the wrong reasons. Recruiters tend to just bin CV’s which have errors, even if you have all the skills and experience for the role. Spelling errors show a lack of care and attention, which are not attractive for someone who is potentially employing you. Make sure you check over your CV and have a clear, concise design. A CV template might come in handy here.

It is not always easy to stand out, especially for popular roles, but if you follow these actions, you will greatly improve your chances of success. It may even be worth getting a second opinion on your CV, as another pair of ideas may be able to identify any errors. If you look at CV examples, you will also get a better idea of what you should be looking to achieve.

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