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The recipe for producing a good, interview winning CV is much like making a cake. If you include the right ingredients and elements and present them in the best way possible then you’re on to a winner and everyone who looks at is sure to love it as well.
Throughout my recruitment career I’ve helped to produce and advise on thousands of CVs and am surprised that job applicants offer so many different variations and tend not to stick a particular formula. Granted, there are number of CV styles that you can adopt – depending on the your industry and the stage of your career – but what goes in to the mix (so to speak) should remain the same regardless of style.
So what are the ingredients and elements to consider of an interview winning CV?
- Sell Skills
You really need to show the employer that you have the right skills and that they match the job you’re applying for. Scrutinise the job description and person specification (or job advert if neither of those are available) and present the skills that you possess with those that are highlighted by the employer.
2. Promote Achievements
Your achievements are probably the most important and powerful component of your CV and arguably just as important as your skills. Don’t miss an opportunity to state relevant achievements no matter how big or small they may seem! They’re essential in today’s job market in that they set you apart from other applicants. Furthermore, it signals to employers that there are tangible benefits of having you work for them and that you can apply your skills to achieve a target or excel beyond expectation.
3. Highlight your skills and achievements
It’s crucial to put your skills and achievements in a prominent part of your CV so that employers can immediately see that you’re a good fit for the job. They’ll only spend a few seconds scanning the document so it’s great way to grab their attention. I’ve written many CVs and usually ‘sell’ skills and achievements throughout the CV but I’ve found that bulleting the best 5 or 6 relevant skills and achievements in the top half of the CV significantly improves interview prospects.
4. Add keywords (or buzz words)
Key words are important because they help employers to a) check for synergy and b) find CVs saved on job boards and in house recruitment databases. Company websites often talk about the working environment and job descriptions mention soft and technical skills so both are great sources of key words for your CV. But remember to place them strategically and choose relevant words that relate to you and your experience.
5. Take care with Spelling and Grammar
Get a close friend or colleague to read a printed version of your CV before you send it because spelling mistakes and grammatical error will be frowned upon and might result in your CV being rejected. Employers are very picky and if you are careless enough to make a mistake some might assume it’s reflects a careless attitude towards something so important and demonstrates a lack of attention to detail.
6. Be relevant
No two jobs or companies are quite the same so you really should tailor your CV to suit the job application. It’s so obvious when an applicant hasn’t taken the time to amend their CV and it’s a real waste of everyone’s time because they’re unlikely to be short-listed for interview.
7. Remember, it’s a summary!
Sifting large volumes of lengthy CVs can be really, really boring! So, whatever you do, stick to two pages because the last thing you want to do is waffle and send the reader to sleep. It’s ok if you’re only able to fit your latest 5 or 6 jobs on to two pages because you’ll probably get the opportunity to give a wider potted history at interview.
So there you have it! I really believe that that the whole idea of producing an interview winning is often overcomplicated so keep these points in mind when constructing your CV. Don’t get me wrong, it can be a time consuming process – especially when applying for a number of different jobs at the same time – but if stick with the ‘recipe’ outlined above then you’ll be well on your way to producing an interview winning CV.
I’d love to hear your comments on this article so please leave one below and let me know if there are any topics or questions that you want me to cover in future posts.
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