Your CV is the first thing potential employers look at, and only 2% of CVs make it past the first impression. Make sure your CV does a great job representing who you are, in order to give yourself the best possible chance of being in that 2%. These five tips will help you write the perfect CV:
1) Keep it short
Your CV shouldn’t necessarily include every single detail that you’ve done in your life. Better is to paint a picture, and include the most relevant skills and experiences for the specific position you’re applying for. A general rule of thumb is to not go over two pages.
2) Use a fitting template
There are infinite ways of how you can compose your CV. Make sure yours is built in a way that fits the type of position you’re applying for. If you’re applying for a creative position (e.g. a graphic designer), your CV should be different than if you’re a banker.
Are you in need of some inspiration? We at M18 have a selection of free CV templates available. Just send us an email and we’ll help you out!
3) State what you want
For you it may be obvious what you want, but it’s not always clear for a recruiter. So make a clear statement about the role that you’re looking for as next career step. And explain the type of company that you would want to work for.
4) Include your soft skills
Although most attention often goes to hard skills and experience, you should also be aware of your most important soft skills. Recruiters and employers want to know what type of person you are, so it’s important to paint them a clear picture.
If you’re having trouble figuring out your own strengths, go ahead and ask friends and family. They can often point out traits that stand out when they think of you, but that you may not have thought of spontaneously.
5) Send out your CV as a pdf
Since you’ll likely be digitally sending out your CV to recruiters or potential employers, it’s important to keep in mind different file formats. Saving your CV as a PDF file ensures that anyone can open it, on any device, while maintaining the exact layout you designed. This way you’ll be certain that your CV will be seen the way you intended.
