I think we can all agree that working on a CV is not in anyone’s top ten fun things to do in life. And yet, we nearly all do it because it’s a vital part of getting a role that should lead to much more fun. Such as:
- A bigger salary to fund more fun.
- A role that’s more inspiring therefore more fun to do.
- Colleagues that are inspiring and more fun to work with.
- And the big one, a boss that’s (well if not more fun) at least better than the last one!
Taking time to make your CV stronger and to stand out from the crowd is hard but essential work. So, to add a bit of fun to the process, we’re going to reverse it and look at the top 5 things you should never do.
- Never add a picture. This is a much debated one. No matter how gorgeous or appealing you are, we at Signet believe this is a big ”no, no”. Why? Well, it gives someone the opportunity to dismiss you on appearance because you don’t fit the image in their head before they have read the detail of your CV. Or crucially, before they have spoken to you about your skills and experience.
- Never add your date of birth. See above. The average recruiter or hiring manager spends only seconds initially reviewing each CV. No matter how hard they try they will have an image of who they want in their head. Allow your work history to speak for itself before they can begin calculating your age.
- Never allow spelling mistakes. Any grammatical errors will speak volumes about you and your attention to detail. No hiring manager ever said, ‘’their experience is great, so let’s not worry that they can’t spell’’. It matters, 71% of recruiters cited spelling mistakes as their number one gripe about CV’s. Ask someone to proof read your CV and check it for spelling and grammar, or use Grammarly.
- Never hide the important bits. Always put the most important information right at the top of your CV. Call it your key accomplishments or achievements, and make it sound amazing. Cite the things you did which made a positive impact and contribution to your employer’s business. The most powerful achievements are those which are quantifiable, so include numbers or percentages where possible.
- Never add a third page. Keep it to two pages and keep the information top line. The person who is reading your CV is reading lots of other CVs and the good ones won’t be more than two pages. One exception to this rule is if you are a contractor, then its accepted you can add a bit more but always bear in mind someone has to read through it and they are usually busy.
This is not rocket science. It’s ensuring you can’t be prejudged on anything but your skills and experience, and makes sure you look your very best by communicating succinctly and clearly.
For more tips on improving your CV check this out.
Good luck in your job search!