The musings of a grizzled veteran of 12 years in Recruitment!
Your CV is possibly the most important document you will ever own.
This document will invariably get you a job and resulting income. Without this, what use is a passport or driver’s license if you can’t afford to buy a car or jump on a plane! You can also forget about the deeds of that house! So give it proper attention.
It does not matter how many pages you have on your CV. There is this misconception out there that it should be no longer than 2 pages. This just does not make sense. How can someone with 20 years’ experience be expected to break down a career in two pages! Much like a newspaper trying to sell itself, its all about the front page and key words. Page 1 is vital. Invite the reader to find out more!
Your CV should be ever evolving.The first person to screen your CV is often least qualified to make a technical judgment. It could be a HR Administrator, a junior Recruiter or that “Man Friday” in the office who must do all those awkward bits and piece because no one else has the time! On this basis you need to make sure your CV is reflective of the job spec in terms of terminology and key words. That first person to screen doesn’t want to look like a fool so they will only pass on CV’s to the hiring manager that they are sure will make the cut. So again, modify and reflect. Your CV is an ever-changing document. It tells the same information, but it can articulate in different ways.
Keep it simple.
Every day I see extravagant formats, images, boxes here and there, emojis and the rest. Focus on the content. Leave the fancy CV’s to graphic designers who need to display their creativity. Oh, and please avoid lingo and acronyms!!!
The first view of your CV will last about 4 seconds!
Yes, this is true. That first screen will be a case of the recruiter deciding is the CV for the good pile of the bad pile! They will jump straight to your current role focusing on tenure, duties, company and job title. They might give qualifications a quick glance. Then a decision is ultimately made. You can make the good pile where a more detailed assessment takes place or the bad pile where your CV meets its end! So again, make sure the key words and info are clear and reflect the job spec!