How To Write a C.V. Employers Will Actually Want to Read

What’s your current strategy for job application? Spamming job seeking websites with the same CV over and over again? You’re not alone. The scary truth is though, research has proven that this is a totally unproductive and ineffective way to find a job. Not only that, employers have even been known to blacklist candidates from future job opportunities if they send irrelevant or ‘spammy’ type applications. So step away from the apply button and let's look at what you could be doing instead.

1. Be qualified. This should be obvious but only apply for jobs you know you can actually do. If you still want to go for it, you can our read our post on how to overcome required experience here. Up-skilling is your easiest and fastest chance at getting into a role you lack experience for. That’s why we created a series of online courses designed to get you better qualified for the job market before you apply for a role.
2. Be concise. Only include the work experience, skills and qualifications relevant to the listing you’re applying for. If Elon Musk can fit his CV on one page then so can you.
3. Use keywords. The words you use to describe yourself should be the ones that the employer has asked for in the job description. Often a computer will filter every application before a real person even reads it. Just be careful not to ‘keyword stuff’ as it becomes very obvious once someone is reading it.
4. Eliminate mistakes. Don’t have any typos. Ever. Employers can be incredibly unforgiving when it comes to spelling and grammar mistakes. Run your CV through an online spell checker if you’re unsure right before you press send.
5. Customise. Customise your application by adding a headline (with the company name and job title) as well as references to the company throughout when appropriate. This shows that you’ve gone to the effort to tailor your application specifically to their job listing as well as doing some research into why you’re best suited for their company.

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