5 tips on how to update your CV/resume and standout in 2022.
CVs and resumes: love 'em or hate 'em, they're here to stay when it comes to applying for jobs. We regularly share tips on how to impress in interviews on our LinkedIn page, but thought we'd summarise some of our recent best #CVTips in one easy-to-find place. Let's get into it.
Yes - there's a reason this is still our number one tip! We still see plenty of resumes that are longer than two pages.
While it's our job as recruiters to understand your experiences to ensure a great job match - when we have hundreds of CVs to read a day, your four page document isn't going to be read in full. As far as first impressions go, an overly long CV may instantly turn off hiring managers from getting to know you. Don't falter at the first hurdle.
How to keep your CV short and sweet:
- 📑 Use a clear layout with subheadings for each section. (Follow a template to easily keep your CV uncluttered.)
- ⌛ Keep your experience relevant. (Don't include jobs from 10+ years ago unless they relate to the current job you're applying for!)
- 👯 Don't repeat yourself. (E.g. "I'm flexible", "taking a versatile approach" and "able to adapt to any situation" all say the same thing and wastes space on your CV if you use all three.)
- 💯 Use facts and figures. ("Managed a team of seven people during a six-month project" is succinct while also proving your experience.)
- 📵 Remove reference info and photos. (They're not necessary unless you're a model.)
- ✉️ Don't forget your cover letter. (It can be used to expand on your past achievements and explain why you want a specific role - so keep the long sentences for that!)
Ultimately, CV length can be a crucial factor in getting chosen for an interview. P.S. We're not here to debate whether the one-page or two-page CV is better. (It really depends on your preference and experiences.)
It's 2022 - there are no excuses for spelling errors on CVs. And yet...they still appear.
We are only human, and the errant spelling error does happen (just look at some of our recent social posts...oops). But your CV represents you. It needs to clearly communicate your best professional self. So it's worth the investment of getting it as close to error-free as possible.
Spellcheckers, like Google Docs and Microsoft Word, are a good way to combat the most common errors. But spellcheck won't catch typos that are actual words (E.g. Putting "care" instead of "car"). So sadly - there is no quick fix. It's best to combine using spellcheckers and proofreading to get your CV in tip-top shape.
Abbreviations are another common CV addition that makes us recruiters go "huh?". 🤔 While you may refer to a name of a project or a tool by it's abbreviations (E.g. "Adobe Photoshop" as "PS"), a hiring manager won't guarantee to understand it. Unless it's REALLY common (such as "GCSEs", "UK", or "CV"), stay cautious and spell it out in full.
(The only exception to this is if a company's name is an acronym - E.g. In the UK, we have the NHS. It's known as the NHS, you don't need to type out "National Health Service".)
Here's the process we'd recommend once you've finished writing your CV:
- 👉 First, read over your CV to check your facts and figures. Spell out abbreviations in full. Use words you know the meaning to (don't pull a Joey).
- 👉 Next, review what spellcheck recommends changing. Make corrections as necessary.
- 👉 Now proofread again looking for spelling and grammar errors a spellchecker might have missed. (🖨️ Try printing your CV out for this step - it can be easier to spot errors on a page than on a screen.)
- 👉 Ask a friend, family member or a recruiter to take a look for their input.
- 👉 Lastly, run it through another spellchecker just in case! (We recommend the free tool Grammarly for this last step.)
And yeah: "Pls", "LOL" and "u" should never feature on your CV or cover letter. Duh.
Remember that point we made in our first #CVWriting top tip? About using a template for structure? Of course you do - but we're still going to hammer this point home!
Templates are a great starting point for your CV. You can find templates specific to your field, or for graduates, career breaks, career changes, skills-based or creative roles. There are thousands available! (Yes, Google is definitely your friend here.) A good CV template will:
- 👉 Ensure your CV is succinct (1 or 2 pages MAXIMUM!).
- 👉 Focus your CV with a clear layout and structure.
- 👉 Save you time (spend less time worrying about formatting, and more time carefully writing each section).
- 👉 Not be distracting OR boring.
- 👉 Make it easier for people to remember you!
Subheadings, bullet points, and even a little colour can go a long way with making your CV have a BIG impact.
Take time looking through available templates or CV examples, find one you like and that is appropriate in your field, and use it as inspiration to give your CV a little refresh. When looking for a template, here are a few more tips to help you choose the right template for you:
- ✅ A good template will make sure you cover all your skills and experience, but keep it presentable and digestible.
- ✅ Avoid templates that use text boxes or tables.
- ✅ Don't directly copy a template - try to use it as inspiration.
- ✅ If you work in a creative industry, use colourful and fun templates to highlight your character and creativity.
- ✅ If you work in more standardised industries, keep it to neutral or similar colours.
- ✅ Don't include more than 1 or 2 fonts or colours in your CV. The template should not become a distraction to your hard work.
- ✅ Save your CV as a PDF (not a Word document) to avoid the contents shifting when someone opens the file on another device.
💥 BAM - right at the top of your CV. Your personal statement. Let's talk about how to make yours the best it can be - because we know it can be a tricky one to master.
First, what is a personal statement?
Also known as a professional profile or CV summary, a personal statement is a paragraph of text about you. It sits right under the contact details, at the top of the CV.
They're important, especially if you have years and years of experience (and need to sum up the most important bits and differentiate yourself), or are looking at starting a career in a new field. But they are optional.
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Next, how do you define all your awesomeness into a personal statement?
Tip 1️:
Keep it short and sweet (like the rest of your resume). It should be up to four powerful sentences in length (or total between 50 to 150 words), focused on:
- 👉 Who you are
- 👉 What you can do
- 👉 Your career goals
Simply put: introduce yourself!
Tip 2️:
Personal statements shouldn't be repetitive. And nothing is more dull than seeing every sentence start with "I". 🥱
"I did", "I am", "I have" - vary it up! You also shouldn't copy and paste your cover letter as your personal statement.
You should:
- ✅ Use powerful adjectives (but not buzzwords)
- ✅ Include details (use numbers & figures, not vague sentences)
- ❎ Avoid empty statements such as "I am reliable and organised"
Tip 3️:
Always tailor your statement to the job/employer/industry you are applying for! Use the job description to help form your profile.
For instance, if the job needs someone who is driven and number-orientated, mention targets you have exceeded, and don't waste words talking about your creative skills.
💡 Bonus tip!
Bit obvious...but triple check your spelling and grammar here! It's the first thing hiring managers and recruiters may read - so any errors will stand out IMMEDIATELY.
Onto the last tip of this article! We hope you've found it useful so far. To end, we want to propose a question to you. What sounds more impressive:
🤷 "Undertook a project"
🤷 "Wrote blogs"
🤷 "Trained staff"
OR
💥 "Managed a budget exceeding £25,000"
💥 "Submitted up to 11 blogs per week"
💥 "Trained three new team members in January, while leading a team of ten"
Trick question - we know it's the second one. Why? Because hiring managers can instantly understand the value you can bring to your role when you include numbers, statistics and figures.
That's why it's essential you include quantitative data in your role descriptions in your CV. Amazingly, we still see CVs without the detail 🤔 But it's such a quick win for your resume.
And everyone can find figures to add - it's not just limited to finance jobs. Think about your job's KPIs - if you're on target, or exceeding them, include that data for starters! If you're still struggling, we put together this helpful blog on our website on quantifiable data you need to add to your CV right now. It breaks down how you can find your key quantifiable data, and how to add it to make an impact on your CV.
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