A Practical CV Guide to Stand Out In Today's Job Market

This practical CV guide will make sure you know all the required elements in CV writing and is a useful reference whenever you’re searching for a new job.

Around 98% of organizations use applicant tracking software (ATS), which automatically scans CV to find appropriate matches. This can result in up to 75% of CVs being rejected before being seen by a person, but with the right job-specific elements you can improve your chances of success.

Things you need to remember while writing your CV:

·Use a simple template and avoid adding too many colors and your picture as it gives an unprofessional impression.

·Your CV shouldn’t exceed 2 pages.

·Check that your contact details, job history and qualifications are up to date.

·Study the job advertisement carefully.

·Check your CV for spelling and grammatical mistakes (use online tools as well as a standard spellcheck) and ask someone to proof read.

·Fill in any CV gaps with reasons (I.e. traveling , Parenting etc).

·Use reverse chronological order when listing your work experience and education i.e. most recent first.

·Keep all content concise and relevant.

·Be specific regarding your skills and achievements (quantify them with amounts and percentages where possible).

·Split achievements and responsibilities into two bullet point sections.

·Include qualifications relevant to the job (You can list major subjects but no need to add your individual grades).

·Use action-benefit statements with powerful verbs (I.e. handled, led, maximized).

·Include any supporting information such as blog or portfolio examples.

·Try to Sell yourself!

Following video also shows the golden rules for creating an incredible Resume:

Layout:

·Use a font between 10–12 points for general text.

·Ensure font size is consistent throughout the body of the document, only your name should be larger.

·Bold titles to draw attention to specific areas (Work experience, Skills, etc).

·Avoid underlining any text since this can make the document feel cluttered. Use fonts such as Calibri, Arial, or Helvetica (avoid using more alternative fonts such as Consolas, Lucida Console, or Sergoe Script).

·Use 1–1.15 line spacing.

·Ensure all spacing between paragraphs is consistent.

·Two pages are recommended, One is fine for fresh graduates or for less then 5 years of experience.

Content

Here’s a checklist of what to include:

1: Contact details — Include your full name, email, mobile number. If you have a git hub include this under your contact details. Also if you have a LinkedIn account you would like people to look at, include it here. It shouldn’t be more than 3 lines.

2: Profile Summary — Make a profile summary of no more than 4 to 5 lines. Where possible include some of the skills mentioned in the job description. Also mention a few tech related languages as your proficiency in this part. See template for guidance.

3: Skills —The skills section on your CV is crucial as hiring managers and recruiters rely on it to make shortlisting decisions. It is essential to clearly highlight how you meet the skills mentioned in the job description. When applying for job roles, it is important not only to demonstrate how you possess the necessary skills but also emphasize the value of your soft and transferable skills that you can bring to the role. This approach will give you a competitive edge and showcase your well-rounded capabilities, indicating that you can contribute in various ways beyond required expertise.

Here are some popular Keywords for tech, analytical and soft-skills across different professions that you can use in your CV:

Tech skills: Mobile development, Virtual reality, Machine learning, Networking and wireless, UI/UX design, Database management, Data processing, Mathematical skills,Help desk and technical support, Software testing, SQL, Java, Python, Linux, JavaScript, AWS, C++ etc.

Analytical skills: Deductive reasoning, Research, Critical thinking, Research, Communication, Data analysis, Problem-solving, Creative thinking etc.

Soft skills: Communication, Adaptability, Problem-solving, Teamwork, Creativity, Leadership, Interpersonal skills, Work ethic, Attention to detail,Verbal communication, Written communication, Presentation, Constructive Feedback, Active listening, Analysis, Logical reasoning, Observation, Brainstorming, Decision making etc.

4: Projects: Projects are most important to put in your CV when you decide to change your career and even for the progression in the same field. It’s always better to show the recruiters that you have your hands on the skills and tools which are required for the job. Mention the projects that you have done in your internships or boot camps or any other projects with your transferable skills.

5: Work experience — Your experience should be listed in reverse order with your most recent role at the top. Try to make at least 5 to 7 bullets in most related experience.

· Should avoid buzzwords (problem solving, goal oriented, attention to detail etc) Phrases like these are often a red flag to employers and usually should be removed.

· Quantifying your accomplishments with actual £ values can make the strongest impact. If you can than add financial impact in terms of revenues, sales, savings, costs or profits.

· The resume should have hard numbers and accomplishments, and it should show the recruiter the impact of tasks performed.

For showing impact you should use STAR Technique (situation, task, action, result).

· Avoid weak action verbs and responsibility oriented language. (Replace responsibilities with accomplishments)

· Different buzz words that could be used instead (Responsible for) are following;

Conceptualized, Performed, Coded, Computed, Extrapolated, Predicted, Installed, Engineered, Calculated, Segmented, Restructured, Arbitrated, Estimated, Overhauled, Devised, Assembled, Unified, Visualized, Debugged, Customized, Standardized, Steered, Validated, Diagnosed, Tested etc.

6: Education & qualifications — All of your previous education (and current, if you’re still studying) should be listed. Place the most recent qualification at the top. Only mention specific modules if they’re 100% relevant to the job you’re applying for.

7: Interests — If you have space left in your 2 pages CV then you can add an interests section. This section is optional and can give employers a more rounded view of who you are. However, increasingly this is not used and if you have a good work history then you won’t generally have space left. If you do include one always try to be specific, as opposed to mentioning more general activities. This is your chance to provide a more complete picture of who you are and what you can contribute. Interests such as blogging, team sports/activities, creative media, volunteering and travel are great ways to show what type of personality you have.

8: References — You can write ‘References available upon request’ but it’s not necessary to mention or include the names of any reference. Employers assume that these will be available in the future.