This year has seen a promising start in the employment sector, but with thousands of people still searching for that dream job, there’s nothing better than taking some time out to polish a resume or CV into what employers are looking for currently. A recent poll showed that it takes 34 seconds for a recruiter to make a decision on whether a CV is worth consideration.
Just like the face and factors of working have changed, so too the prerequisites of what makes a great CV. We share our top 4 tips to a great CV here:
1. Are You Relevant?
Not only should you stand out, but you need to consider the degree at which you are relevant for the job; how do you communicate this well enough to ensure your experience and expertise is relevant? By looking at the job description, make sure the reasons you are perfect for the role are clearly displayed in the CV.
2. Never Use Cliches
Words like: Hard working, passionate, and team player, have been used so often that most employers ignore them – that’s not to say they are meaningless, but because they sound like copy/paste things to say on a CV, they’re not considered as a unique addition to the CV, by any stretch of the imagination. New buzzwords for your CV in 2022 should include: Accountable, purpose and achieve. Employers want to know how you hold yourself accountable, and what was the purpose of your role in a former position? Avoid sweeping and boring statements like: I am a team player.
3. Adding Good Personal Information is Key
Don’t be afraid to add your personal information! You don’t have to talk about your cat or your holiday travels, but if you have been ill for a time, or you have children (which means you were on maternity leave at some point), include it – honesty will paint a much more complete and positive picture for your potential employers, who are also human beings and understand that people have diverse histories.
Talk about your hobbies only if they can display skills relevant to the job, and don’t necessarily include a photo if the application doesn’t request one – fair or not, people can’t help but be judgemental when it comes to looks.
4. Try a Video CV in addition to your written version
The hottest CV trend right now is to include a video clip with your application. People in certain industries send only video clips – greeting, engaging, and sending relevant information and character cues via the most popular medium – video. Younger creatives are sending in video clips to prove that they are indeed creative! If you’re a whizz at shooting and editing video, and a character to boot, it may just be the thing that gives you the edge.
Bear in mind that when putting together your CV, a huge factor to consider is the industry you’re applying for. However, since job hunting has become so competitive and there are often many hurdles to conquer with the HR department in charge, being ORIGINAL will always make you stand out from the crowd.