Alice and Poppy from The Temp Desk recently visited the Grammar School to help students put together their CVs. Following on from this, we decided to put together a useful guide that anybody can follow to improve their CV and their chances of nailing that perfect job!
Read on to discover some crucial pointers for writing the killer CV…
The Basics
Everybody knows the importance of leaving a great impression in a job interview, but your CV is a prospective employer’s first insight into you as an individual.
Just as you would present yourself smartly in person, your CV should be equally well groomed. Pick out and address any spelling and grammar errors, and make sure the document is formatted neatly and in a logical fashion.
In terms of formatting, your CV should be tailored to suit the job you are applying for. Mention relevant experience and qualifications early on to encourage the employer to read onwards, and exclude anything truly irrelevant.
Finally, try and keep it down to one or two pages of A4. Employers will appreciate it if you keep it concise, and limiting the length of your CV will help you get rid of any unnecessary waffle too.
Selling Your Skills
Every other CV out there seems to describe the individual as “enthusiastic” and a “team player” – try to avoid clichéd terms like these.
Instead, refer to your experiences and explain how you put your relevant skills into practice. After all, anyone can claim to be brilliant. Prove that you are instead!
Make It Personal
While you may be tempted to ask somebody else to write your CV for you, it is crucial that you do it yourself. Inject some personality whilst remaining professional, and make the potential employer look forward to meeting you.
Write Another Draft…
…then another one, and one more after that. Get a family member or school tutor to check it over and make suggestions, and keep improving it. Reading it out loud shouldn’t make you feel uncomfortable, so keep tweaking until you are genuinely pleased with it.
Send it off!
At this stage, your CV should be ready to be sent to your prospective employer. Send it with a sharp and focused covering letter that is tailored to the specific position, and hopefully you will hear back shortly with some good news!
From the very first CV onwards, OSA Recruitment are here to help throughout your job search and career.
