Write a CV with no mistakes- How often have you asked for a CV writer to have a well-written CV? How many jobs did you miss because you didn't have a ready CV? And how many times you've tried online templates to create your CV, but it seems lousy by the end?
Today, you'll unlock all the secrets behind writing a job-winning CV that attracts recruiters without even applying for jobs.
Eager to know how to write a CV with no mistakes in minutes? Read on!
Avoid Using One CV for All Job Postings
First of all, you have to forget about the rule of "One size fits all" while tailoring your CV as you have to understand how to convince each recruiter separately with your CV.With that said, job seekers have to convince two recruiters in today's job market: the machine recruiter: ATS and the human recruiter.
So, how can you convince both?
To fully understand the ATS, read this:How to Convince the Robot Recruiter (ATS) That Reads Your Resume?
Then, to convince the human recruiter, your CV should be a clear answer for the question: "Does this candidate has the required skills and experience that would help him excel in our position?"
So, you have to tailor your CV to each position, and by tailoring, I don't mean entirely recreating your CV, but adding a special touch that fits each position, by:
- Using the typical job title used in the job ad
- Using keywords mentioned in the job description
- Quantifying your achievements that show how you'll add value to the new position
- Showing your knack for HR by giving him answers to each question pops into his mind while reading your CV.
Note: A generic CV is allowed in two cases only: When you attend career fairs and when you upload your CV to job boards.
Write A Professional Email Address
Your goal is to be "Professional"! Have you ever seen a professional person with an [email protected] email?Create a professional email address with your first and last names to be serious and professional. It's the first thing the recruiter searches for if they find your qualifications match their requirements, so don't lose a chance because of an unprofessional email address.
Think About the Robot Recruiter (ATS)
- 80% of candidates described their online job search and online job applications as stressful!
- The ATS rejects 75% of qualified job applicants due to fake reasons like incorrect CV formatting!
Most job seekers don't realize that there's a robot recruiter that receives their CVs first, and 75% of recruiters depend on these robots to filter the CVs to narrow down their talent pool.
So, how to convince the ATS (if you already use the keywords)?
- Make sure your CV is well-formatted, well-organized, and easy to read.
- Separate parts of the CV with headings, and stop using photos, maps, or graphs to streamline the ATS's process of reading your CV.
Avoid Long, Overwhelming Paragraphs
Large, consecutive chunks of content are a red warning on your CV. Instead of forcing employers to sift over large chunks of data, break them up into short sections and bullet points. They'll be able to quickly skim across your CV and find the information they're looking for in this method.
Write A Strong Job-Winning Summary
Stop delving directly into the job duties on your CV before even providing a decent summary. It will be harder for recruiters to think about how your position influences the firm and how you'll be a good fit for the new workplace culture.Start each role with a summary of your responsibilities and how your work contributes to the firm's performance overall.
Don't Use Logos or Icons
Logos and icons aren't required in a CV; they're always improperly structured and occupy much space. Words can better describe the value of something.Too many images will also increase the file size of your CV, causing it to be misinterpreted by CV software applications, causing delays in delivery or disappearance to specific mailboxes.
Make your CV simple by using only text.
Avoid Using Skill Graphs
Although skill graphs are visually beautiful, they do not accurately reflect your abilities. (ATS frequently disregards these graphics.) overall, how you assess your abilities is a question of personal taste.Textual formatting is the simplest way to show solid proof of your expertise. Instead of giving yourself an 8/10 in Ms 365, you may declare you're Microsoft Accredited (if this is real). Likewise, instead of ranking your managerial skills, explain how you led a team of ten store employees to exceed sales objectives by 50% consistently.
Avoid Using Many Colors
Although utilizing vibrant colors on your CV has grown more common in recent years (especially looking for non-traditional employment), you should be selective about the amount and type of hues you choose.Adhere to basic colors that can only be used in headlines.
Don't go overboard by changing the background color or writing the entire CV in luminous.
Highlight Your Achievements
Each recruiter decides what this employee will do before they post a job ad., So there's no need to list all of your existing responsibilities.Alternatively, showcase your distinctive strengths and attributes in your CV and how these impact a company.
Don't merely state your duties; move on to clarify the results you've achieved and the value you've added.
For instance, don't just write.
"It's my job to set social media plans."
Push to demonstrate your worth.
"We were able to gain 100,000 new followers per year by posting content that touches our target audience."
You probably wouldn't be able to do this with all of your responsibilities, but make an effort to do so where you can.
Avoid Using Buzzwords
Every recruiter knows that all job seekers are "highly motivated," "team workers," and "can work under pressure."So, no need to use these cliches in your CV. Show by examples how you'll add value and how your "team working," and "self-motivating" skills can benefit the company.
Avoid Misusing Fonts
"Readability" is an excellent characteristic of a good CV. So, you have to make it as simple as possible, so recruiters feel comfortable while reading it.Although using "trendy" fonts may make it more attractive, it pushes recruiters to skip your CV as they find it hard to read and find the details they are looking for.
Read the following two CVs samples & Judge which one is more readable?
Avoid Listing Reasons Behind Quitting Your Previous Jobs
Recruiters aren't interested in why you left each job listed on your CV. The primary goal of your CV should be to promote your abilities.It's your "commercial". If the recruiter needs to find why you left your prior position during the interview, he will ask you openly.
Avoid Mentioning Any Salary-Related Details
Except if the job ad explicitly asks, do not mention previous or current pay or even salary aspirations in your cv. It's a waste of time and space, and it conveys the impression to recruiters that you're only concerned with money, not the organization or the job.When talking about how you increased business revenue or implemented a great tactic on time and within the allocated budget, for instance, you might talk about money. Everything else can wait until the end of the interview or discussion.
Avoid Keyword Stuffing
Your CV conveys your communication skills, so after creating your CV., read it aloud! If you find out that you have repeated some words, replace them with other synonyms. If you need help finding synonyms, use dictionaries like thesaurus.com.
Create Smooth Page Transitions
Since your CV is a formal document, it should be structured professionally. The unstructured transition between pages makes the recruiting professional think twice before continuing to read your resume.
Create A Two-Pages Max CV
Recruiters are very busy, so they don't have time to read your 4-pages CV.Keep your CV to two pages or fewer to successfully present the important data and generate a strong CV. Make sure your points are clear and concise.
Order Your Work Experience Chronologically
Work history should be organized in chronological sequence, with the most recent job at the top and the oldest at the bottom.Employers want to learn more about your previous employment and how your abilities may assist their businesses to thrive. So, give heed to your former role and don't go into too much detail about it to save the recruiter's time and space on your cv.
Stick to the File Format Mentioned in the Job AD
While resume in PDF format is the most popular, you must have the PDF and Word document version of your resume for various reasons.The main one is that you can go through the boring experience of applying for a job online, and the only way out is to upload your resume. And if your CV is in PDF format, how will you organize all the details? If you have a CV in Word format, it will be easy to copy and paste the content and end this ongoing process.
Employers may prefer a resume formatted as a Word document. So, read the job posting to the end to find what the recruitment specialist is asking for.
Avoid Adding A Reference Section
Highlight your accomplishments rather than taking up space on your resume to add references.Here it should be emphasized that there is no need to add “references available on request” because the recruiter is fully aware of this and will ask for them if needed.
Add Your Social Media Accounts
Google and LinkedIn are your new CV, so recruiters will check your online clients if either you mentioned them or not.Read these blogs for a job-winning LinkedIn Profile:
- How To Pick Skills on LinkedIn That Get Employers to Contact You?|Drjobpro.com
- How To Increase Your Visibility in Recruiter’s LinkedIn Searches?|Drjobpro.com
- How To Get More Views For Your CV On Linkedin If You Are Looking For A Job?|Drjobpro.com
- “Green LinkedIn Dot” Opens Doors for Unexpected Job Opportunities… Discover More!|Drjobpro.com
Use A Professional Filename
Spend some time creating a professional name for your CV instead of saving it as cv.txt. The name of your cv file should be your name + your title. This demonstrates your competence and dedication.Read Also: 28 Resume Filenames Recruiter Never Read
Proofread Your CV
What would your first impression be if you came across a candidate who misspelled his name? Will you go on to read the rest of this cv?Recheck your CV for grammatical problems and use a language checking tool like Grammarly if you want to be extra confident.
Other common CV errors include:
- Using unprofessional photographs
- Listing incorrect contact details
- Adding Personal Info
- Using different tenses and many pronouns
- Ignore using action verbs
- Using third-person
- Adding "Objectives" section