3 easy ways to make your CV stand out from the crowd

 10 Aug 2020

In a job driven market, it is even more important to make sure that your CV is impactful. Here are 3 ways to guarantee that your CV stands out.

1.Bespoke it for each role.

Get hold of the job specification or spend some time thinking about what skills the role will require, and tailor your CV accordingly. Clearly highlighting the skills you have which are pertinent to that specific role will ensure that your CV is relevant rather than generic.

2. Turn your CV from passive to active.

Don’t just list your responsibilities which will likely be similar or the same as other applicants. To make your CV stand out, include examples of where you have added value, difficult assignments which you have succeeded in completing, your interactions with others which have helped the team etc. - anything that shows what you would bring to the prospective company in addition to the expected experience.

Use power words to describe your skills e.g. initiated, achieved, established, spearheaded, accomplished, delivered, advised, ensured etc.

3. Layout.

Make your CV easy to read. Experiment with layout, spacing and use of bullet points. If it is hard to plough through, the reviewer will likely skim read it and could easily miss key elements of your skills. Even worse, you risk the reviewer losing interest altogether and discarding your application; effective presentation can make all the difference.

In this challenging job market, it is worth taking some time to make your CV the best it can be. It is the difference between securing an interview or not. If you are using a recruiter, a good one will work with you on this, asking you questions to draw out the skills the hiring company values, and preparing a compelling CV on your behalf.

If you would like any advice or assistance, please contact Cathy on 020 3303 0020 or email cathy@buckley-consulting.co.uk