How To Get Your CV To The Top Of The Pile

I have written in the past about the best way to get your covering letter noticed when it comes to applying for that dream job or promotion. This is a hugely important part of the application process; it is what initially piques the interest of any recruiter or hiring manager. But it is equally vital that your CV really sells you and your abilities.

I have seen thousands of CVs during the course of my career and there are always some common mistakes that candidates tend to make. There are also some absolutely brilliant examples of people that have done exactly what is required - convinced employers to bring them in for an interview. Here are some of my key tips:

Tailor It

As with the covering letter, there is nothing more frustrating for an employer than reading something that is clearly generic and sometimes not even totally relevant to the vacancy. Jobs and companies are not generic, so I would always urge candidates to adapt their CV accordingly. This doesn’t have to mean mass changes – it can be a simple case of adding in key skills that would be especially useful for certain jobs, or talking about particular achievements that are more relevant. It can be a time-consuming process to tailor your CV a number of times, but when you weigh that up against the prospect of getting the job you want, it should be an easy decision.

A Winning Summary

As in any walk of life, first impressions count. Having a summary which succinctly and creatively states your experience, abilities and goals will give your CV a far better chance of being read further. It is particularly important that you do state what your career goals are in this section. Some people believe this is of no interest to an employer, as they are more interested in what you can do for them. However, I am personally always looking for people that are ambitious, so I certainly wouldn’t be disappointed to see a candidate’s future objectives stated in their summary. It tells me that they are driven and know exactly what they want.

Clear the Cliches

There are certain words and phrases which always seem to crop up on CVs and the more employers see them, the less value they have. The whole point is for you to stand out from other candidates so try to avoid the cliches which you know everybody else will use. Be creative with the way you describe yourself; you don’t want to be seen as someone who is simply using buzzwords they think employers want to hear.

On the theme of creativity, anything which makes you stand out can be a good thing and for certain positions and industries, this can mean video CVs. One of my recruitment businesses specialise in the digital, media and creative sectors, and many people believe video CVs will get more popular over the next few years. At the moment it is still a bit of a novelty, so provided it suits the role you are going for, it can add a unique quality to your application.

Quantify Your Achievements

Employers want to know about your achievements so don’t be vague. Tell them exactly how you have added value in previous jobs. I have always believed that every member of an organisation, whether it’s a sales director or a receptionist, can have their contribution measured in some form. It could be financial - you may have generated a certain amount of revenue, or made a certain amount of cost savings – in which case I want to know how much. It may be that you were in charge of managing a whole team, or were responsible for managing key clients – again, tell me how many. Attaching a number to what you have achieved gives me a greater idea of your value-add.

The JC Twist

One final tip I’d like to give concerns the way you deliver your CV. 95% of applications are done online and there is absolutely nothing wrong with this. But what if you are speculatively applying for a company where there is no vacancy? An emailed CV may get ignored, or put on file but then forgotten about. Why not consider posting, or even hand delivering it? This is outside of the box thinking and gives your application a far better chance of being seen by the relevant person. 15 years ago, somebody who emailed a CV rather than posting it would have grabbed the attention of a hiring manager. Now, it is very much the other way around.

For more tips and advice to boost your career, check out my book Get The Job You Really Want