Hi Boox Popular Magazine 2024
In this work environment which is highly competitive, a good CV has to stand out in order to get employers to select yours. CV, also known as Curriculum Vitae, is Latin for the phrase “Course of Life”. It tends to be a short, summarized version of all the skills and knowledge of the person. In North America and other regions, it is called a resume.
This is compiled and often used in order for the employer to understand everything about you in the preliminary meeting. CVs are also used, apart from for employment, to apply for scholarships, grants, admissions to colleges, etc. With the advent of job-hunting websites since 2010, applicants often upload a copy of the CV on them or it can be emailed directly to the interested employer. There are various templates you can use on popular software like LaTeX or Microsoft Word. Another option is to rely on online CV generators like cvwhizz.co.uk to compile an attractive CV.
Tips to make it stand out
1. Keep it short
The desired length of the CV should only be 2-3 pages. It is recommended that it doesn’t go above this limit. When shortlisting interviewees from a long pile of resumes, they would like to get the whole idea of the person in as little time as possible. Hence, make sure you have succinctly summarized every detail in little space. Write points for things that can be elaborated on in an interview.
2. Personalize Your CV
This is highly overlooked by a lot of people. People often tend to send the same CV to different employers. This is not recommended. Give your CV a personal touch and tailor it to suit the needs of the employer. Modify your CV as per requirement. If the company you are applying to needs the skill set of what you learned in college, blow that part up.
If you are applying to a college, emphasize your grades and skills. This makes the employer understand that you understand the requirements of the job and helps him decide soon.
3. Add a personal statement
Here, you aren’t writing about your music tastes or hobbies. This part is to convince the employer that you are the right person for the job. This has to be creative, and reading this should ensure that they feel you should be shortlisted. This part is also tricky. How do you know what the employer wants?
A little research is required here. You have to search for your employer’s field across the internet and see what they have done. Based on this, you can include that you have been interested in that field and want to work in it. This impresses the employer as it displays your interest.
4. Keep it updated
Your CV should be updated. The entries should be from the current year and you should make sure there are no gaps. The CV should look like you have things going on now also. Include online workshops, meetings, any certificate course that you have attended. The CV should be dynamic in order to convey that you are still active and learning. This gives a great impression about you to your employer.
5. Avoid mistakes in your CV
A CV is the most important document in a person’s career and having a typo in one is inexcusable. These are avoidable errors that may bring a bad impression to your employer. They would feel that in such an important document, if you made a mistake, then they would not be able to trust you with important documents.
Also when they are going through a sea of CVs, elimination of CVs is the top priority. Hence, finding a mistake could lead to the elimination of your CV from shortlisting.
6. Do not lie or put fake information
It might be tempting to put fake information to bolster your chances of getting shortlisted for the interview, but this is not recommended. You could get caught easily and this can ruin your impression entirely. You can perform really badly in the interview because of this. There have been cases where the employee was hired and later everyone found out that he had lied about a skillset.
This causes the company to fire you and put in a bad recommendation for your next job hunt. Hence, avoid lying in your resume.
7. Include statistics
It may seem tedious, but generally backing up your achievements with the correct statistics can really give a boost to your impression. For example, saying you helped with the sales of the company is dull. However, saying you helped increase the sales of the company by 65% would add more credibility. You can mention the years, the time gap between your hiring and promotion to show the employer you can rise fast within the circles. Mathematical summarization is always well received and conveys the message faster.
8. Customize your CV with creativity
While content matters 90%, the appearance of your CV also matters. With a lot of colored tools and graphics available, you can add bullet points, attractive borders, use a creative template, and even put a good picture of yourself to give the CV a little more personalization. Make sure everything is well-spaced and the font is readable. Use professional-looking fonts to enhance your qualifications.
9. Adhere to keywords
This is a recent development that has arisen with the option of uploading CVs online on websites. Job websites rely on SEO tools and keyword density to match suitable CVs to the requirements of employers. Hence, using the correct keywords would help in your CV standing out among the rest. This can be looked into further, especially if you are into digital marketing.
Conclusion
These are surefire tips that would help you compile the best CV if you’re in a hurry. These are key points that have to be included in any CV in order to convince the company or employer that you are a suitable candidate. Make sure you keep the style comfortable, yet professional. A CV is the first impression you make with your potential employer, hence make sure it is perfect.
