What Makes a Good CV: Strategies and Tips

Organized and Concise Layout:

• Contact Information: Place your full name, phone number, email address, and LinkedIn profile at the top.
• Professional Summary: Write a brief overview of your experience, skills, and career goals.
• Work Experience: Detail your work history in reverse chronological order, including job titles, company names, locations, and employment dates. Highlight significant responsibilities and accomplishments for each role.
• Education: Include information on your educational background, such as degrees, institutions, and graduation dates.
• Skills: List relevant technical and soft skills.
• Additional Sections: Consider adding sections for certifications, languages, volunteer work, and professional memberships.

Personalized Content:

• Tailor your CV for each job application by emphasizing the experience and skills most relevant to the position.
• Incorporate keywords from the job description to pass Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

Quantify Your Achievements:

• Use specific numbers and metrics to showcase your impact. For example, “Increased sales by 20%” or “Managed a team of 10 employees.”

Professional Appearance:

• Select a clean and professional layout with consistent fonts and spacing.
• Use bullet points for easy readability and to highlight important information.
• Eliminate typos and grammatical errors by proofreading your CV or using tools like Grammarly.

Strong Action Verbs:

• Describe your duties and achievements using action verbs such as “managed,” “developed,” “improved,” and “implemented.”

Emphasize Results:

• Focus on the outcomes of your work and how you added value to previous employers. This demonstrates your potential contribution to prospective employers.

Regular Updates:

• Keep your CV updated with new skills, experiences, and achievements to ensure it remains current and relevant.

Seek Constructive Feedback:

• Have colleagues, mentors, or career coaches review your CV and provide feedback.