CV Advice
How to Write a CV That Gets You Shortlisted
No matter how much experience you have or how many qualifications you’ve earned, the key to landing a fantastic job is creating a strong CV that gets you noticed. Unfortunately, for many people, CV writing is not a skill that comes naturally. You might find it uncomfortable to write flattering things about yourself, or maybe you just don’t know what makes a good CV. That’s why we’ve put together a list of suggestions to help you create a working document that will best represent your professional and personal Search long term.
Stand out from the crowd
Before you even begin writing, make sure you’re thinking about the task in the right frame of mind. Think of your CV as an advertisement promoting you and demonstrating what you can do for your potential employer. Start in a way that gets the reader’s attention and keep that momentum going throughout the document; a newspaper article that makes you read the full piece is a good example of this.
Write a grabbing summary statement
At the top of your CV, include a summary statement. This should give a clear and concise explanation of your most relevant skills, qualifications and achievements to ensure that those who receive the document don’t miss any important points that would otherwise be hidden further down the page.
Focus on your achievements
When writing a CV don’t just talk about your responsibilities in your previous jobs. Instead, highlight how you excelled in the role. Wherever possible give actual volumes and values – such as how much money you saved the company or a percentage of sales increases seen during your tenure.
Appearances count
You wouldn’t show up to an interview in a sloppy t-shirt and torn jeans, and you shouldn’t send in a CV that looks unprofessional either. Take some time to clean up the formatting on your resume, and remember that the right balance of white space to text can really improve readability and visual aesthetics on the page. Doing this will help to show that you care about the details.
Customise, customise, customise
Once you’ve written a fabulous CV, it doesn’t mean you are done. Instead, make a point to customise your curriculum vitae for every vacancy by using keywords taken from the job description.
Proofread – then proofread again
A single typing error or misspelled word could be enough for even the most impressive of CV’s to be put in the bin, so keep checking the document. Spellcheck can help, but don’t rely on it completely. A trusted friend or family member could read over your CV to make sure it is free from mistakes.
As specialist recruitment consultants for Accounting, Finance and Administration jobs across Canterbury, the team at Search Recruitment is here to help you find vacancies, provide advice and help you along your career path. To find out more about our services, and how we can help you find opportunities, please feel free to get in touch. You can also browse our current vacancies here.
Contact us to find out more about how our skilled recruitment team can help you take the next step in your accounting or finance career. You can also browse our current vacancies, learn more about Search or register as a candidate to get your recruitment started with Search.