Make Sure Your CV Template Is Online Friendly

Many of the articles written on the subject of writing a CV assume the recruiter will be reading the CV on paper and manually compiling the list. But often the sourcing of CVs for a role will be done online using online job boards, LinkedIn or even using agencies' own internal databases, using word search software to find the CVs.

So if you want your CV to be at the top of the list keep in mind the following points.

CVs are usually identified on the basis of keyword search techniques. For example recruiters will usually search on the basis of job titles, specific software experience, and sectors worked in. You must therefore ensure that the keywords important to your work are incorporated into the writing of the CV. For example make sure that all the potential job roles and sectors that you want to be considered for are mentioned on the first page of the CV. The earlier the better. Try incorporating these into your personal statement such as:

"An experienced CPA Financial Analyst looking for progression to Financial Planning Manager. Experienced in all aspects of Budgeting, Forecasting, and Strategic Planning. 10 years experience in Manufacturing and Logistics sectors using SAP."

CVs are now usually sourced online on sites like Monster. You really need to check that your CV is easy on the eye looks good online. Think classy stylish rather than trashy garish with plenty of white space so that the relevance of your CV will be obvious. Keep in mind that a recruiter may spend no more than 10 to 15 seconds scanning your CV before deciding to pass it by, or mark for a more detailed review. They will rarely read beyond page 2 if you haven't sold them by then.

Recruiters will usually be looking for newly posted CVs, because they don't want to waste time talking to people who are no longer looking or not serious about changing jobs. By this I mean that they will be focusing on CVs posted or updated in the last 1-2 months. So for example if your CV is on a job board like Monster, it would benefit you to refresh it every month or so to keep it in the search lists..

If you are using a CV template to write your CV make sure it is optimised for online so your dream job can find you.