10 tips to boost your CV
Your CV is like a trailer that shows your best sides. It's the employer's first impression of you and it is this that determines whether they will continue to watch the film, so to speak. Here are ten tips on how your CV can turn you into a real bestseller!
1. Highlight the best about yourself
Your CV should mirror you as a person in relation to the position you’re applying for. The goal is to attract the employer and create interest in your profile. Adapt your CV to the position you’ve applied for and highlight the experience that is most relevant in the context.
2. Be clear with headings
Have a clear CV where you structure the topics by using headlines. Professional experience, education, personal information, goals, courses, language skills, other information and references are common headings that can be good to have on your CV. Arrange it so that what’s important and relevant to the position comes high up and is easy to understand. The employer has a limited amount of time so make it quick and easy to find things in your CV.
3. Say more about your experiences
When you have created your headings and filled them in with different positions and courses it will be useful if you write a line or two about what you have learnt on each occasion, especially when it comes to your previous employments.
4. Photo or no photo?
Having a photo on your CV is a matter for discussion. Some people think it’s an absolute must, whereas others are more doubtful, believing it’s not your appearance that decides whether you get a position or not. Having a photo on your CV is not about showing how good-looking you are, but about connecting with your employer. A photo makes it easier for the employer link together your experience with you as a person and makes your CV more memorable. Be sure to demonstrate a professional side of yourself – remove the holiday picture where you have a cocktail in your hand.
5. What about the style?
As we mentioned before, it’s a good idea if you adapt your CV according to each position you’re applying for. This doesn’t only apply to the content. Your design can also be adjusted. Check out the company’s website and find out how they portray themselves and what image they want to project, and try to reflect this in your CV. There’s a big difference in design aesthetics for an accounting firm compared with an amusement park or a health clinic.
6. Make it readable
Line spacing is important for legibility. You have a lot of information you want to squeeze into a small space, but don’t make it too tight. Make sure that you have 1.5 line spacing and leave some space between your different sections. You don’t want the employer to risk losing interest because your CV is messy and difficult to read.
7. Don’t be afraid of templates
If you’ve never written a CV or quite simply run out of inspiration, you can always check how other people have done it. Ask your friends if you can look at their CVs for inspiration. You can also look at ready-made templates. A quick Google search will give you several results with CVs in different styles. Choose a style that you’re comfortable with and modify it exactly as you want.
8. Added value
You won’t have space on your CV for everything you want to say. Link your LinkedIn and other social media or websites to the CV that are relevant and that say more about yourself. Don’t forget to keep it professional.
9. Update it continually
It’s important that all your details are correct. It’s easy to forget to update your CV after changing your email address or telephone number. Sometimes life progresses quickly and then it’s a matter of keeping up. You’ll make it easier for yourself if you update your CV continually with workplaces, courses and other experience that is relevant. If you leave it too long it’s easy to forget everything you’ve done.
10. Double check and proofread!
When you’ve finished your CV and before you send it to an employer it’s important that you read through it carefully, correcting any spelling mistakes or incorrect details. It looks careless and unprofessional to hand in a CV with spelling mistakes, no matter how good the content is. If you feel unsure about your spelling or anything else, it is a good idea to let someone you trust read through it.