You can’t ever have enough…
CV tips! At FreshMinds we see a lot of CVs: some brilliant, some bad, some terrible and even a few that are just a bit odd. Make sure yours is the outstanding CV in the pile by following our tips. More can be found here. You can also come along to one of our drop-in events where we’ll give you frank and honest feedback about what your CV looks like. Email here to register interest. In the mean time, here are the tips!
•Be evidenced based - When outlining a workstream or project, highlight the tangible results that you achieved. Employers want to see the impacy you have made.
•Do not over complicate the text - following George Orwell’s fine rules - never use 10 words when you can use 2
•Think about formatting - An employer does not want to spend time figuring out dates or following the theme/thread of your story. Keep the format simple, chronological and aligned
•State your position - Many people list the organisation and team within which they work but not their specific role. This is absolutely vital for an employer to understand your level of experience, the nature of your work and how you fit into your company
•Include a brief 3-4 line profile at the top of your CV with key words that describe you as a candidate and what you are now looking for. This will provide the employer with an initial understanding of where you want to go next
•Account for any gaps in your CV - If you have been out of employment for a period of over a month at any time (sabbatical, maternity leave, exit package etc) include a reason to prevent prospective employers guessing
I also spoke to FreshMinds’ chosen career coach partner, Phil Bolton (Less Ordinary Living) recently, he outlined his top three expert tips:
-Make every word count - your CV is your opportunity to present your best self to prospective employers.
-Put your absolute best experiences and skills at the top of the first page – sometimes reviewers only have a few seconds so make their life easy
-Write a new version of your CV for each opportunity – closely match your experience and skills to the job specification
Good luck - we look forward to seeing your latest CV!
Rachel Miller is a candidate manager on the Select Team at FreshMinds Talent
