Hello again, and welcome back to our career services guide. Today, we will help you update your CV for the job you want to apply for.
In this guide, we will discuss optimisation, layout, and length and give you tips on how to avoid CV rejection.
What is "CV optimisation"?
If you've been searching for a job for a while, you may have heard someone mention CV optimisation. What they mean by that is to update your resume, and you do that by considering two things:
The changes and updates in your career
The type of job you want to apply for
Why is it essential to update your CV?
Updating your CV is crucial for several reasons:
● It allows you to showcase your most recent skills, experiences and achievements, which could be relevant to a potential employer.
● It also shows that you are proactive in keeping your professional profile up-to-date.
● Updating your CV helps you identify areas you may need to develop further in your career.
● It can save you time when applying for jobs, as you will have an up-to-date version ready.
By bringing your documents up to date, you increase the chances of your resume being selected by a hiring manager or recruiter and landing an interview.
When to update your CV
How often should you update your resume? The best option is to update periodically, even if you're not actively looking for a job, because that's when skills and experiences are fresh.
We also realise, like most, that you may forget, so we suggest keeping a notebook or a digital file and using this to keep track of things you want to add to your curriculum vitae.
Make sure you pay special attention to
● new roles, responsibilities, and achievements
● significant projects
● promotions
● certification
● volunteering
● and new skills learnt.
Let's look at your CV in detail
Now that we understand why we need to update our resumes let's examine what the document should look like.
What should a CV look like? Which format is the best?
You should have both a physical and digital version of your CV. A physical copy should be printed on good paper with clear and legible print, and your digital copy should be saved in PDF format.
When designing your resume, consider functionality. A recruiter should be able to quickly scan and read the document and identify the skills and experience that match you to the job you are applying for. Remember, modern recruiters also use technology to scan resumes in early sifts, so ensure you understand the keywords you must include (usually found in the job advert).
A quick online search will yield many CV examples and excellent CV templates. Here are some examples that provide a clean, crisp, and readable option.
If you choose an online CV maker or builder, ensure the final article does not contain watermarks or software promotions. You do not want your CV format to distract from your application.
The anatomy of your CV
While you look for design ideas, consider the critical CV components of your resume. Here's a handy list of what to include in your CV layout:
1. Header with your name and contact information
2. Professional summary or objective statement
3. Work experience
4. Education and qualifications
5. Skills list
6. References (either listed or available upon request)
It's essential to ensure that each section is tailored to the specific job you're applying for and that the information is presented in a clear, concise, and easy-to-read format. Remember, your CV is often the first impression you'll make on a potential employer, so keep it polished and professional.
How long should a CV be?
We are often asked this question, and the answer is that the length depends on your career experience and seniority.
You may have heard people say, "Keep your CV to one page," but for most, one page isn't enough to adequately showcase the skills and experience they have gained.
Here's how we like to think of it.
A guide to CV lengths:
● School and university graduates - 1 page
● Entry-level - 1-2 pages
● Senior staff - 1-2 pages
● Management - 2 pages
● C-suite - 2-3 pages
Remember to keep your text concise but detailed enough to help sell you as a great candidate. Use bullet points for information in skills sections to limit your needed space.
Also, remember that a cover lettercomplements your resume, so you can use it to tailor your application further and discuss your skills, experience, and job fit more deeply.
Why do CVs get rejected, and how to avoid that
Recruiters and hiring managers will see hundreds of resumes and job applications for every job and inevitably will pick just a handful for the interview stage.
So what are they looking for, and how can you avoid rejection?
During the hiring process, there will be several application "sifts". What that means is several rounds of choosing and rejecting resumes.
The first will eliminate CVs that include spelling and grammar errors, lack of relevant experience, and poor formatting.
The second will look more closely at skill fit and experience.
To ensure your CV is accepted, it's essential to take the time to craft and review it carefully. Read the job description thoroughly and ensure your CV writing is tailored to the job you are applying for. Consider the keywords or phrases in the job description to phrase your skills and experience.
Rather than simply listing your previous job responsibilities, focus on your achievements. Demonstrate how you have added value to your previous roles and how your skills and experiences can be applied to the job you are applying for.
Use action verbs to make your CV more dynamic when describing your previous job responsibilities and achievements. This can demonstrate your proactivity and initiative in a more engaging way.
Let's use an example.
Hannah is applying for a senior accounting position. One of her achievements in her current job was reducing overdue payments from clients through proactive communications. She could say, "I helped reduce late payments in my current job." What would be better is to say, "In my current position, I transformed our cash flow by creating a new comms workflow that reduced late payments by 25% ." This has more action and achievement (which is a great talking point for interviews).
Once you have made your draft, proofread it for errors, and consider having a friend or family member review it.
Additionally, review the formatting and layout of your CV. Use a clear and easy-to-read font, and make sure the content is well-organised and easy to navigate.
Finally, remember to include a strong, attention-grabbing personal statement or summary at the top of your CV to make a great first impression.
Following these tips can increase your chances of having your CV stand out and avoid rejection.
How to review an older resume
The most challenging place to start with CV writing is to review an older CV - what should you keep and replace? We like to think of resume reviews as a 4 step process:
Remove outdated information - Your skills and experiences will grow over time. While it feels important to include everything, the reality is that your older experiences and roles won't be relevant for your next application. Particularly when it comes to jobs, you'll only need to include your last three or four roles.
Be prepared to rewrite sections from scratch. Your old CV landed you your current position, and it is most likely not relevant to your next job. Sections must be rewritten to showcase how you fit that next role.
Consider the layout - What worked for your last application might not suit your next. For example, an entry-level resume will look very different to a C-suite resume.
Research the job you want - The best way to understand how to write your CV is to understand the role you wish to apply for. And the easiest way to do that is to look at multiple job descriptions and pick out the skills and experiences they commonly ask for. You can also use your networking skills here and ask people in the roles you want to apply for the demands and expectations of employers.
What's next now that you have an updated CV?
With a fresh CV, it's time to explore LinkedIn, where you can develop a living version of your CV to help you with job applications and networking.