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How to write a good CV

18th Jul 2022
CV on desk

People will spend hours writing up their CV’s, click send and nothing… Recruiters get sent dozens of applications, so yours needs to stand out!

Everyone knows first impressions count, on average a recruiter will spend only 6-8 seconds reviewing a CV before they decide whether it is suitable or not for a vacancy. So, let’s make those 6-8 seconds worth it. Here’s how –

Personal Statement

Writing an attention-grabbing personal statement will introduce the employer to your professional goals and qualifications. Making them interested in reading the rest of your CV. Your personal statement should consist of:

  • Relevant work experience
  • Transferable skills
  • Educational background
  • Reasons for applying to a company

CV Layout: The Do’s and Don’ts

Do’s

  • Choose a clean, readable and modern font. Here are a couple we recommend using:
    • Times New Roman
    • Arial
    • Calibri
    • Georgia

Classic fonts for the win. Make sure to use the same font throughout your whole CV.

  • Keep it short and sweet. Like I said, recruiters spend on average only 6-8 seconds reviewing a CV. Try and get straight to the point and ideally keep it to no more than 2 pages. Less is more!
  • Bullet points. Using bullet points is a great way for a clear CV layout.
  • Use headings for each section. Ensure you include simple, reader-friendly titles and subheadings for each section such as:
    • Work Experience
    • Education
    • Hobbies and Interests, etc.

Don’ts

  • Include irrelevant information. Ask yourself this question, will this information help me get the role?
  • Include information which may be viewed negatively. For example, failed exams, reasons for leaving jobs, points on your driving licence. Don’t lie, but don’t include this kind of information. Don’t give the interviewer any reason to discard you at this stage.
  • Include all the jobs you have had since school, just include the relevant ones. Add details about your most recent qualifications.
  • Include a photo unless required.

Hobbies and Interests

We recommend including your personal interests on your CV because it is a great way to stand out from the crowd, you get to show off your personality and individuality it is however an optional section in your CV. Recruiters invest in people; they hire and work with human beings. Adding hobbies that are relevant and add value are key, for example, playing chess would match well when applying for technical jobs like IT or science.