You have put a lot of thought and effort into deciding on a new job and crafting your CV to showcase your personality and skills to potential employers. This is a great first step towards landing your ideal job.

However, it's important to consider how you can make sure your CV stands out among the thousands of others on job boards and social media. It may require some time and careful consideration on your part, but by following the tips below, you should start seeing the benefits soon.

 

Here are our 6 top tips...

1. Make it easy for the recruiter.

Don’t assume that someone is going to spend hours reading through hundreds of CVs. Try to understand how recruiters use job boards and put yourself in their shoes. Your CV needs to be found through automatic searches which look for keywords related to the skills and experience required by the role. If they are not in there your CV will not be found.

 

2. Make it relevant: to the sector in which you want to work.

Ensure all the keywords relevant to the industry in which you wish to work are included. Use the words and terminology which demonstrate your understanding of the sector. This is particularly important if you are looking for a niche or technical role. 

 

 

3. Make it clear: about what you want.

Think about the various ways the job can be described, for instance, if you are looking for a Human Resources role include HR and Personnel. However, it’s not just about job titles; don’t forget recruiters also search for skills, experience and qualifications. If you are looking to move into a new industry or role make sure that these are mentioned in your CV clearly state what you are looking for. 

 

4. Make it specific: don’t rely on generalised terms.

If you are talking about your experience with software packages don’t use the general term of Microsoft Office, remember to include Excel and PowerPoint you cannot assume that a recruiter will automatically make the connection.

 

5. Make it fresh

Keep your CV up to date; re-submit it when you feel you have gained a new skill or relevant experience.

 

6. Make it work for you

Invest some time and thought in your CV. It comes back to the old cliché that if something is worth doing then it is worth doing well. Your CV is in a competitive situation and it needs to work hard to sell you and to get noticed.