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7 Simple But Effective Ways to Make Your CV Stand Out

Cv

by Paul Ford

Whether you’re planning a career move, or just starting out, your CV is a crucial document. If you want to make it through to the interview stage then your CV needs to sell your skills and experience enough for an employer to see the potential. Below are some simple but effective ways to ensure that your CV stands out from the rest.

  1. Proofread your CV several times. Spelling mistakes and grammar errors can indicate a lack of care and mean that your CV could do your chances of success more harm than good.

  2. Avoid a single, generic CV. Alongside presenting you in the best possible light, your CV should also contain information specific to the business you’re applying to. So, make sure that you tailor your CV each time you send it off. Small changes to incorporate appropriate keywords and making sure the skills and experience you include support your application for this specific role should help to create the right diversity.

  3. Use statistics and metrics where appropriate. Often, the easiest way to demonstrate achievements and show the progress you’ve made is in numbers. Use percentages and amounts to quantify what you’ve done, whether that’s the growth achieved, savings made or revenue generated.

  4. Integrate examples and be as specific as possible. It’s always a good idea to use recognisable industry jargon, words and phrases to make your CV relatable. However, avoid overdoing this and filling the entire document with vague phrases and claims. Instead, combine this language with specific examples of accomplishments and instances that demonstrate your skillset. Don’t be shy when it comes to outlining achievements, especially when they are directly relevant to the role you’re currently applying for.

  5. Don’t forget to feature some soft skills. If your CV is sitting in a pile with a number of others with the same qualifications and experience it could be the soft skills that set you apart. This might be examples of team working or effective communication or moments in your career that show how much of a team player you are. Every employer wants to hire people who will fit well within the business culture and your soft skills are an effective way to illustrate this.

  6. Make sure the formatting is clean and simple. Format your CV so that it is easy to read and an employer will focus in on the details that you most want them to appreciate. Highlight what you think matters most in terms of your application by including it at the top.

  7. Consider a cover letter. A cover letter can serve several purposes, including highlighting information in the CV that you want to stand out and providing illustrative or additional information. Make sure the cover letter is error-free and would stand up as a positive example of your writing skills.

When it comes to creating an effective CV these tips will help you to ensure that yours makes an impact.