In most cases, your CV will be the first impression
you make on a potential employer. As such, it is worth spending the
time to ensure that your CV properly and clearly highlights your skills
and experience, as well as avoiding common errors which can adversely
impact your chances of securing an interview. Here are some simple
steps you can follow to create an effective CV:
Step 1 - Think like an employer
The
first and most important step is to consider the perspective of the
potential employer who will be reading your CV. Your aim is not to
create a work of art or a literary opus, but to ensure that the CV is
clear, concise and effective. You have a limited amount of time to
capture a decision maker's attention and should therefore endeavour to
keep your CV as short and focused as possible. We would suggest one or
two pages; three as a maximum. It is advisable to include a brief
summary section early in your CV that clearly presents your key skills
and achievements to an employer.
Step 2 - Remember the essentials
There
are certain categories of information that are essential to include on
your CV: education, qualifications, training and employment history are
the obvious categories. However, it is surprising how many people fail
to provide detailed contact information on their CVs. Make sure that
you provide a permanent email address.
In this region it is common for CVs to include a
photo and this is largely a matter of personal preference. If you do
decide to include a photo, it should be highly professional in
appearance. Again, always consider the reaction of a potential employer.
Step 3 - Keep it simple
It
can be very tempting with Microsoft Word to indulge in extravagant
experimentation with your font and formatting. We would strongly advise
against such innovations as Word Art and Sparkle Text on your CV. Try
to avoid using tables and use bold, italic and underlined type
sparingly and for key emphasis only. Brightly coloured text is not
recommended on a CV, nor is utilising too many different fonts.
Step 4 - Remember your key words
Key
words are important for two reasons: firstly, an employer will often
look for certain terms on a CV; secondly, CVs are increasingly found
using key word searches on databases. What constitutes a key word will
vary according to your industry specialisation and job role. For
example, if you are a finance professional with knowledge and
experience of GAAP and SOX (Sarbanes-Oxley), these are key words that
should be included in your CV. Try to consider how your CV might be
found using key words.
Step 5 - Check and double check
Spelling
and grammatical errors in your CV can have a very negative impact on
potential employers. As well as running a spell check using your word
processor, have a friend or relative proof read your CV for you. A
fresh pair of eyes will often identify mistakes that you have missed.
Finally, print your CV and go back to step 1: review your CV as if you
were a potential employer to ensure that it is an effective marketing
tool.