Curriculum Vitae - writing advice

Like many people in the recruitment industry, I too have decided to share some advice on writing a cv.

Let me start by pointing out that a good CV is one that simply works. It is legible, contains the information you need and gets shared to the right place. Even the best CV in the world is of no use if it just stays in a folder on your desktop.

The second issue is time. The time it takes for a CV to be sent out in response to an advert, the time it takes for a recruiter to reach out to Candidates interested in the recruitment they are currently working on, right down to the time Candidates are waiting for feedback. The calendars of all concerned must align together with the needs of the organisation that is looking for a staff member. Patience and persistence are advisable when looking for a job.

I work with recruitment projects for the IT industry, so my advice will be based on experiences from my field 😊

Candidates, I invite you to read some tips from me.

1. Make contact with recruiters (and researchers 🙋 ) on LI.

They (we, actually) are here for professional purposes. Go ahead and add them to your network. Many are in the habit of posting current job opportunities (🙋). This way you can keep up to date with offers from different companies with one app. Although you know, I recommend mine 💚

2. Complete your profile. Ideally, do this regularly.

Your profile on LI is your business card just as much as your CV. It's important that the information it contains is true... and that it is there at all. Leave no room for guesswork. The job title ‘Software Developer’ is not comprehensive. It's worth adding information about the technologies you work with (have worked with) and sample responsibilities in the description. Also, it's worth bearing in mind that recruiters are often non-technical people. Something that is obvious to you may not be so to the other party. Make it easier to find you (🙃). Completing your profile regularly will save you work when you're looking for a new role and need to remember what you've been up to for the last x years.

3. Fill in a field 'description about yourself'.

Particularly if you have specific expectations, such as your working mode, your rate, your approach to travel, equipment you won't work without, technology you care about or don't want to be exposed to any more - let the readers know. If there are companies, organisational cultures or industries you'd rather stay away from, it's also worth to share this information. This will help to limit offers that won’t find your interest.

4. Send your CV with your contact details.

Don't be surprised, but even nowadays there are CVs without a phone number or email address. While on LI I am able to ask for these things, unfortunately I am not able to reply to CVs sent in response to an ad outside LI.

In addition: please check that this information is correct. Did you happen to send a CV with incorrect contact details? No need to admit it, you've probably already learned your lesson 🤓.

5. Personal details.

Your name and the name of the organisation you are currently working for will allow the recruiter to verify if you are on their candidate database, if you have been involved in the process and if you are a subject to a non-compete. If you are bound by an NDA, then you will not include the information included in the contract. Simply NDA is sufficient.

If you are a foreigner, it is worth mentioning whether you live in Poland and whether you have a work permit. This will help to dispel any doubts whether the process of your employment will take longer than it was intended or if it is possible at the time.

6. Employment information.

Chronologically, from oldest to most recent position. Don't be afraid to include a short project if it was interesting. If you specialise in such, it's worth adding such information in your CV or in an email to the recruiter (so that you won't be seen to be getting bored quickly with the project ;)). If you want to change this pattern, it is also worth communicating with recruiter. This way, the recruiter will not be worried that a longer project will not interest you.

If older positions are not important in terms of what you are doing now, you can leave them out.

7. A longer break in employment.

Another thing not to be afraid of. To avoid questions or insinuations, it's a good idea to simply describe it on your CV as a ‘break’ or, if you feel like it, share what you were doing during this time. Travelling, learning a language or raising children - everyone has a life outside of work and there is no need to pretend that this is not the case. If someone doesn't want to invite you for an interview because of this, better for you - you won't be wasting your time 😊.

8. Description of responsibilities

Remember that CVs are also viewed by non-technical people, especially at the beginning of the process. Describe what responsibilities you had and list technologies. You don't have to write everything! Just a few examples plus any interesting/unusual ones if you had any.

9. Education.

If you have a university degree, it's worth to bring it to the light! Especially if it was mentioned as an asset in the ad. If it is non-technical, it is also worth writing about it in your CV. There are many organisations for which this is relevant. If you're studying, it's also worth including (if you haven't finished your degree, it's still kind of in progres too, right 😅?).

If you haven’t been to a University, feel free to skip this part.

10. Certificates.

Be sure to show them off, after all you've worked hard for them!

If your list of certificates is extensive, it would be wise not to list them all in one section of your CV. You could list the ones mentioned in the job advertisement in your CV, or simply describe that you have certificates in certain areas, and make the list of certificates as an attachment to your CV killing the two birds with one stone 🐦.  You could also write that the list of certificates is available on your profile on LI (if this is true). Do you have any other ideas? Share in the comments! 🖊

11. Hobbies.

An underrated part of a CV. It can be a nice introduction to an interview.

12. Marital status and information about children or family plans.

Not necessary.

13. Address.

Name of the town is welcome if you are applying for a hybrid role, or if you are open to travel to other locations this is also worth stating. An exact address in CV is not necessary.

If you are a foreigner, it is important to mention where you are currently based. There are policies in companies that allows work only on the territory of the selected country/countries.

14. Date of birth.

Unnecessary.

15. CV appearance.

Last but not least. Make sure your CV is clear and recipient-friendly. Don't use colours that will tire the eyes and use clear, non-fussy fonts. Make sure you have a neutral background so that reader can easily read the text. Check for typos, preferably several times and ask another person to check again. Remember that this is your business card.

If you can think of anything to add here, please feel free to share! I am aware that this is not a complete list (as if anyone can write all the advices for so diverse topic👨🏫) and I am happy to create a space here to share ideas on how a few things can be made easier for job seekers.

If you have any questions, comments or would like to get in touch, feel free to reach out to me 📬.

On a day-to-day basis I am an IT Researcher at Mindbox SA, where we focus on sourcing cool (🤓) and competent Candidates for our Clients and for us. In my daily work, I review profiles on LI, CVs sent by Candidates in response to advertisements and those we have already received with permission to consider them for other recruitment opportunities. I have been working in IT recruitment for 3 years. I have been involved in searching for candidates and conducting interviews.