Saturday, 7 January 2012

How To Prepare A CV: Part One

Can you imagine having to read through piles of CV’s every day? It’s not easy! Preparing a CV is a necessity as almost all the candidates have similar interests, educational backgrounds and skills. Before you know it, the information starts to run together. In this current economy, record numbers of CV's are making their way to recruiters, making it more difficult than ever to pick the most ideal candidates. Therefore it is imperative that you spend time on preparing your CV, perfecting the content and overall layout.


I’m sure you’ve heard of the old saying “you never get a second chance to make a first impression”, well the CV in this case is your opportunity to make a good first impression. Now you don’t have to be a wiz at graphic design or anything like that to create a top notch CV, below are some very simple ideas you can use to make it more visually appealing.


How to write a CV

Choose the right paper
Nowadays, many applications are completed electronically, allowing you to simply email your cv and cover letter to prospective employers. However for those who require hard copy applications, one of the choices you need to make is the type of paper to print your CV on. Usually this should be an easy decision to make, one that most admittedly never think about, but you can easily overwhelm yourself with the various paper styles. Make sure to keep it simple and professional if you want to be taken seriously.  Good quality paper is key, as well as the paper colour. If applying for a conservative position in traditional industries. Such as finance, law, medicine, then opt for conservative colours, i.e white and ivory.

Length of CV
Do not even think about submitting a CV that is longer than two pages unless you are applying for a specific/prestigious position that requires you to mention you many awards and publications. Keeping your CV to one-two pages allows employers to scan your CV and instantly see your relevant experience and skills. Don’t forget, employers/recruiters will review numerous CV all at one time, so make sure it is focused on only what is important. If this can all fit on one side of A4, even better.

De-clutter
So you’re now trying to condense your CV onto a single page or two. Reducing the font size and widening margins is not the best way to go about keeping all of your information. What you don’t want is a crammed-looking CV, with barely any margins and too much text all font size 8. Recruiters shouldn’t have to struggle to read about you – it will only put them off and move in to the next CV. Your cv needs to be easy to read and concise. They don’t need to know every little thing about you, only what is relevant to the position you are applying for. You want to provide them with just the right amount of important information that will make them want to meet you in person to find out more.