Employers get to know you through the curriculum vitae that you submit. An excellent CV can advance you for an interview, giving you the highest possibility of getting the job that you want. Writing a CV can be different from writing a resume as it would depend on the position you are applying for.
Listed below are the top 10 best tips that you may follow on how to write an excellent CV that will empress your employer at first glance.
1. Keep it neat. Begin by choosing a user-friendly CV template on the internet or through the available templates in the Microsoft word (i.e. basic CV template, job-specific, or career-specific CV). Organize your CV details by writing the most important information on top and the least on the bottom.
2. Contact information first. Always put your contact detail on the CV heading. Do not forget to include your name, surname, local address, e-mail address, and phone number. Once your CV is shortlisted, the first thing that employers do is give you a call. However, if your contact details are embedded somewhere else in your CV, you will lose your opportunity to become a job candidate.
3. Keep it straight to the point. Provide an objective for your CV. This is also known as the CV Personal Profile, where you would briefly explain your career goal. Write a brief statement informing the employer of the position you are applying. Are you applying for a supervisory role, managerial position, or contractor?
4. Highlight your skills. Write your main skills on the skills summary section of your CV. If you are submitting a CV online, include keywords and avoid writing lengthy skills description. Some search engines would only pick up specific keywords, which give your CV slim chances of reaching the employer if your skills summary is misleading.
5. Emphasize your work experience. Give a proof of your skills by writing your work experience in the field. Some employers give more weight and attention to work experiences than the qualifications. Hence, provide a summary of your work experience with focus on your achievements.
6. Put your educational qualification. Provide your education background in a chronologically descending order. Start from your most recent education (i.e. college) then to the most basic education you have attained.
7. Keep it short. Keep your CV short. Employers do not take too much time reading a very long CV. Hence, try hard not to go beyond two pages by placing only the most relevant details about you that you believe will qualify you for the position you are applying for. Leave some of other experiences for your interview.
8. Write short and crisp sentences. Remember that longer sentences are difficult to read and at some point can be misleading to the employer. Thus, write short and easy to understand sentence with weight and determination. Use proper punctuation and avoid spelling and grammar mistakes.
9. Avoid unnecessary details. Cut out less important details that employers need not to know about, such as your father and mother's name, the number of children you have in your family, and many more.
10. Avoid abbreviations. One way to respect your employer is to spell out words correctly rather than abbreviating them. You should also understand that the HR people and your employer are not experts of every domain, hence minimize the possibility of having your CV land in trash bins by carefully spelling out the correct words.
Louise Collins writes career changing tips and advice. Finding a new career can sometimes be a challenge for some so finding all the advice you can is useful. Click here to read more on changing career.
