Stand out CVs: How to create a CV that captures attention

There is no doubt that now is a competitive time to be looking for a new role, so it’s more important than ever to make sure your CV stands out from the crowd. Whether you’ve decided it’s time for a career change or you’re ready for a step up, these tips will help you land your dream job.

Introduce yourself

Start with a concise description of yourself, your achievements, and goals to let the reader get to know you. When you’re actively job hunting it’s easy to fire out 100 applications in a day but don’t be surprised when nothing comes back. Take the time to tailor this section to the roles/company you’re applying to – Include personal interests and relevant highlights from your experience.

Keep it short and sweet

Select and highlight key achievements from each of your roles. Focus on results rather than responsibilities (again keep it relevant to the roles you’re applying for!) Use the job description as a guide, select key words that you see because that’s what the recruiter/hiring manager will be searching for.

Use a simple layout

Putting your name in Word Art will make your CV stand out, but for all the wrong reasons. If you feel it’s relevant, do put your own creative flair on your CV, just make sure it’s easy to read & easy on the eye.

You want your CV to end up on recruitment agency or internal systems so that you’re contacted when a suitable job comes up. These systems a pretty smart, they will scan your CV and select codes that will be used to identify suitable candidates. If you’ve got an unusual layout your CV will confuse the system and key words won’t be picked up.

Don’t rely on spell check

You’ve probably been staring at your CV for a few hours now so get your friend or a trusted recruiter to take a look with fresh eyes. And whatever you do, don’t use a thesaurus on too many words… It’s a really handy tool and keeps you from repeating words but using it too much wont read well.

Link your LinkedIn

Your LI profile is (or should be!) an extension of your CV. Make sure it’s completed and reach out to ex-colleagues and bosses for some testimonials to impress potential employers! It’s also the best place to apply for jobs and network with hiring managers and recruiters directly. Take the time to create conversations with people in your industry or learn from others if you’re trying to get into a new industry.

If you’ve been searching for a new job for a little while now and haven’t had much luck, remember that you’re not alone and things will pick up again soon. I am currently offering free CV and LinkedIn profile support, for more information please get in touch sara@peopleforcerecruitment.com.