Spring clean your CV with our top tips!

Need to update your CV? When was the last time you gave it a revamp? (Ooh we see you over there, scratching that scalp!)

Are you updating it as often as your linkedin profile? Thought not. (If you haven't been updating your LinkedIn profile either, take a look at our tips on how to update your Linkedin Profile for career success).  

We have seen more CVs than we can count, so we're here to offer valuable advice on what really catches our attention...

How to update your CV for career success

When it comes to CVs, first impressions count. Your CV is your chance to make a positive impact, so make it good! 

Use bullet points

There’s a lot to be said for bullet points - let’s face it, these days we are all ‘the busiest person in the world’; so make it obvious or the finer detail in wordy CVs will be overlooked.

Be concise

 Keep it short and sweet – sure you have achieved a lot, but let's keep in to 2 pages as a rule. Here in the UK, we tend not to look past the second page. (Unless it’s really compelling of course!)

Be relevant

Keep your experience relevant – if you’re struggling to keep your CV to a suitable length then you may need to think about cutting out that bar job you did at Uni.  (We’ve all felt your pain!)

Don't forget employment dates

Put your employment history first – your current job is of most interest to anyone looking at your CV.  We want to know what you are doing now, not what you did all those years ago at school. 

Sell yourself

A list of your responsibilities isn’t enough.  We can usually guess what your job involves, what we want to know is what you’ve achieved.  Demonstrate quantifiable results, whether it be an x% increase in site conversion or the success of a new marketing channel.

Avoid writing in 3rd person

When you’ve spent time crafting your CV to sell yourself, why then make it look like someone else has written it for you? Give yourself credit – that’s what we say!

Use a job appropriate email

Be careful when choosing an email address, 'sexygal69' may have been fun at 18 but it won't go in your favour; just the bin. Use a professional email address.

Name your file properly

Save the file in your full name - so it's easy to find and remember. 

Share your LinkedIn details

Pop the URL to your linkedin profile in the CV, as your bound to update your profile more regularly than your CV.

Pay attention to detail

When it comes to your CV layout, boxes and tables might help you fit more on the page, but please make sure they line up.  Consistency is key; use a clear font and make your job title and employer stand out (it’s usually the first thing we want to know).

Be yourself

Show some personality – If you’ve got it, flaunt it.  There isn’t a great deal of opportunity to reflect your personality in your CV, so if you are including hobbies and interests, make them exciting.  Do you predictably spend your free time reading, or are you an adrenaline junkie who runs extreme endurance marathons? (No, just us?!)

Don't forget to include...

Last, but not least, if you’ve followed these tips, we’re probably going to want to get in touch. Be sure to include your contact details. Email and mobile number are obvious but it would be good to know where you live too. We aren’t planning to stalk you, but we don’t want to waste your time telling you about a job if you live on the other side of Narnia.

So there you go, some of our top tips for creating a first class CV – get scribing!

CV updated... ready for a new job?

What are you waiting for? Send your CV to us!