Confining a resume to a single page is good advice for anyone. – Daniel Lyons

What is the purpose of a CV?

The primary goal of a CV is to secure you the first interview. Understanding that a well-crafted CV is just the beginning of your job application journey is crucial. It serves as a door-opener, allowing you to showcase your skills and personality during the in-person interview, ultimately increasing your chances of landing the job. Given its significance, it’s essential to regularly update and refine your CV to ensure it effectively represents your qualifications and experiences.

”Imagine that you are not a applicant, but an employer, that is creating the perfect resume of his employee.”³

If you have no idea what your resume should look like, act as an employer and look at the resumes of other applicants who are experts in your field. It can be eye-opening to see what they contain.

What aspects should you look at to create a killer CV?

Layout

When crafting your CV, remember that you want the reader to be engaged throughout. Recruiters typically spend only 30 seconds to a minute scanning a CV, which means first impressions are crucial. Therefore, ensuring that your CV is straightforward, easy to read, has no spelling mistakes, and has consistent formatting is essential. This will increase the recruiter’s chances to review your qualifications and experience thoroughly.

Three aspects to focus on:

Readability: Creating a professional-looking CV involves designing, spacing, font size, and content arrangement for easy reading. If your CV looks disorganized with inconsistent spacing and tight margins, it may reflect poorly on your professionalism. Hiring managers prefer a well-designed and concise CV tailored to the job, as it shows attention to detail and care.

Objective statement: Your objective statement at the top of your resume is the first thing a hiring manager reads after your contact information. It should be short, no more than three sentences, and must intrigue the reader to continue. Customize your objective statement for each job application to make a strong impression.

Length: Your CV should be two pages long (one-pager is best), with standard margins and legible font size. So be concise; every word counts. Everything you write aims to demonstrate why you’re the perfect candidate for the job; if not, it shouldn’t be there.

Education and qualifications

The following section is straightforward; it should be short, brief, and relevant. List your professional qualifications first (if any), then your degree and the name of your educational institution in reverse chronological order. It should be up to three items at maximum, so list the recent three, such as a Gr 12, university degree, and college results. Having most of the space for the next significant section would be best.

Experience

Allocating 80% of your focus and energy to this section is essential. You should provide a detailed list and description of your past and current roles, outlining your accomplishments and responsibilities for each position. Avoid using a task-based format filled with buzzwords, as it often diminishes the value of your experience and is generally considered unnecessary.

While drafting your CV, direct all your thoughts and motives to the problems of your potential employer – what does he need? What does he want to get from you? Put yourself in his place. ³

Instead, be like the rare 10% that make it by writing about what you’ve accomplished and stating your work’s (measurable) impact. My rate of interview invitations jumped upon making this change. You must prove you’re a great hire because you get things done, deliver measurable results, and are worth the investment.

Do not use your own made-up phrases when writing; use the language the employer speaks. You should highlight the things required by the employer.³

YES Example: ‘’I did Task A, B, and C, which reached 5000 people and provided housing for 500 families.’’

NO Example: ‘’I did task A (designed a complex), B (were part of the construction team), and C (budgets).’’

Do you know which is more impressive and convincing? Of course, that is not to say you should make up numbers or fake things you didn’t do (never do that; they will know during the interview), but for every task you do, you’ll now be keener to find out why you’re doing it, and what impact does it have.

Remember always to add purpose and value to your tasks. For example, instead of saying, “Research and prepare presentations for clients,” you can say, “Produced clear marketing materials and explanations of products for our target clients.” This makes your role more significant, no matter how small the task may seem.

Refrain from using clichéd buzzwords like “managed teams” and “coordinated strategies,” as they can appear vague and lacking in substance. Instead, focus on articulating the specific results and achievements that demonstrate the tangible value you can offer a potential new employer.

Skills and achievements

Remember to include a list of work-related and non-work-related skills in this section. Tailor your skills to the job you’re applying for. This section will highlight your work experience and show some of your achievements.
Also, remember to reserve space for “references available upon request.” Ensure that you have two willing references who have worked with you professionally

Remember to leave some space for “references available upon request,” too! And make sure you find two willing references who have worked with you professionally for this.

Revise and edit your resume often

Crafting the perfect CV takes time and effort. It involves revising and editing to ensure that it aligns perfectly with the job you’re applying for. Even your choice of email address can make a difference, so it’s essential to avoid anything that might come across as unprofessional. Like writing, it’s best to lay out all your thoughts and ideas in one go, section by section. Then, you can rephrase and trim it down to emphasize what’s most relevant and essential. It may take a few iterations, but you’ll achieve the desired result with perseverance.

A final word

Always remember a good CV is the first step to announcing yourself in the job market. Vadim Zeland advises: ”Move your focus from looking for a job to announcing your presence in the job market. As much as possible – allow the job to find you.”³

A university qualification doesn’t guarantee a job because experience counts. You must also be excellent at interviews to land that job.

Once your CV is completed, you can send it to various companies.

Never send out the same CV to different employers. Each has to be tailor-made for a specific job.

Want to make job hunting more manageable for yourself?

2 Tips from Vadim Zeland:³

• Do not focus on getting hired. When you apply, visualize that you have been hired and your goal has been attained. Why? Thinking about whether you will be employed has already created several scenarios of defeat in your mind, and employers pick up on that.
• Also, apply for a specific position. Presenting yourself as someone who can do many things shows insecurity and makes the employer suspicious. He thinks you will be happy to do anything as long as you are hired.

Resources:

Resume | Matthew Masino. https://www.matthewmasino.com/pleasehireme

CV Writing: 11 Top Resume Tips And Tricks You Must Know – 300Hours. https://300hours.com/resume-tips-and-tricks/

³Reality Transurfing. 3. Forward to the past. Vadim Zeland. 2008.