You might be the most qualified and deserving candidate for the job you applied for but yet end up getting rejected as your CV did not meet the employer’s expectations. Often the recruiters do not have enough time and just skim through the CV’s, so your CV should be eye catchy and worth the read. Its really important to make sure that your CV stands out from the others, not just because of the achievements and qualifications but because of the formatting and the easy understanding.
Presentation is the key to increase your points in the recruiter’s eye. Never elaborate your qualifications unnecessary just for the sake of increasing the pages. The most effective CV’s don’t just have the perfect content but is also concise and to the point. Although formatting of the CV may change depending on the industry you apply for, there are a few rules that you must always follow.
THE DO LIST:
- Keep it 2-3 pages
Ensure that your CV is concise and to the point. Make sure your CV is not more than 2-3 pages. Employers often don’t have enough time to go through your long CV so make sure its precise and up to the point. - Sentence structuring
Start your sentences with verbs describing you rather than using first tense and stay clear of unnecessary information. Make sure you use perfect vocab and grammar. - Outlining
Outline your professional history starting with the most recent job. - Bullet points
Ensure that your achievements are summarized and listed in bullet points in an organized manner. - Follow the correct CV order
- Personal details
- Professional summary
- Area of expertise
- Education
- Work experience
- Key achievements
- Publications or research work
- References
- Skills and languages known
- Formatting
Choose the right formatting and keep it neat and easily readable. Do not reduce the font size to fit more information in one page. Make sure your CV is easy to read. - Include
A personal summary and use power words to make it stand out. Add a cover letter to your CV to submit it to the organization. - Listing
Mention your achievements and qualifications in a logical order. Starting form the latest qualification/achievement to the last qualification/achievement. - Referees
Choose your best referees and mention them with their contact details. Do not mention ‘references can be provided upon request’, it gives a negative effect.
THE DON’TS LIST:
- Do not elaborate your CV for the sake of adding more unnecessary information.
- Do not lie or embellish the truth. State everything as simply as you can.
- Do not include a photograph or personal information like your nationality, religion or age unless the job application requires you to mention it.
- Do not use graphics or clip art, it makes your CV looks untidy.
- Do not list every single irrelevant detail of your professional history.
- Do not add negative information, it can have an adverse effect on the employers.
- Do not be worried if your CV doesn’t reach two pages even, but don’t add fluff to it.
- Do not mention money in your CV, it gives the worst impression trust me.
- Do not explain gaps in your work history.
- Do not go in to details of your qualifications.
- Do not include unnecessary strong words. Make sure your CV makes sense and is not all wordy without meaning.
Follow these simple guidelines and ensure that your CV Is Perfect. You will definitely land the job and position you are longing for! All the best guys!
