Your CV operates as the very first form of interaction between you, a job seeker, and the recruiter or RH agent.
As a job seeker, you want that CV to catch the eyes of recruiters and to achieve this, your CV needs to be attractive, clean, and appealing to recruiters. Otherwise, it’ll end up in a trash can!
Before diving in, it might be worth highlighting that a CV is an overview of your education, job experience, qualifications, and other accomplishments and abilities. It could also contain a professional summary statement.
A recruiter often spends at most 7 seconds on a CV. So, there’s no room for inconsistency! The CV needs to be compelling enough to keep the recruiter interested in you or get you that interview.
But drafting a CV that appeals to recruiters can be cumbersome! However, there are specific steps to make your CV optimally awesome!
In this article, we will highlight some pro tips in that regard. We will also look at tools to help automate & accelerate the drafting process. Let’s go!
Tips for creating an attractive CV
Asides from the basics, these tips are some essential steps you can take to make your CV appealing to recruiters:
1. Use a CLEAR layout
The importance of having a laid-out CV cannot be overemphasized. A clear layout will make your CV look neat and pleasant to the eye. Simplicity, in this case, is the key.
You may come off as untidy or unorganized if you choke up your CV. Do not lump up your CV with too much information and only include the necessary information as brief as possible.
2. Use a good font
You may wonder what importance there is to the font you use. Yet, the font can play a decisive part in how your CV looks.
When you use clear and simple fonts, you maintain a neat and clear look on your CV. But when you use curly or thick fonts, your CV may look cluttered and less appealing to the eyes. Thus, it makes it difficult for a recruiter to read.
3. Add your LinkedIn profile.
Some recruiters will look out for your LinkedIn profile to discover you, so ensure you include it in your CV. Also, ensure that your LinkedIn is up to date & includes extensive summaries of your relevant job experiences.
You may also include other social media handles or personal website portfolios, depending on the type of job you are applying for.
To include your LinkedIn profile, you may use your LinkedIn URL or use your name to create a unique URL for your profile.
4. Make it skimmable.
Since recruiters often spend limited time reading CVs, it is wise to make it skimmable within seconds.
A cramped-up CV will only end up in the trash. The idea is to make your CV informative, readable, and scannable in the shortest possible time as possible.
To do this:
- Use numbers & bullet formats
- Use bold headings & maybe change their colors a little
- Make your points as brief as possible
- Remove irrelevant information
- Ensure headings are spaced from the body
5. Hard and soft skills
It's often best to classify your skills into sections, especially if you have a lot of skills. It makes them easily noticeable and well-organized.
You can classify your skills into hard and soft skills. Under soft skills, include the languages you speak, leadership qualities, and communication skills. While under hard skills, you can include any software you can use.
6. Customize your CV
When applying for jobs, tailor your CV to fit the position you are applying for. No shoe fit all sizes, and no CV fits all job offers!
Unwillingly, some applicants make the mistake of sending the same CV to different job positions without tailoring them to fit such positions.
Recruiters often expect applicants to understand the position for which they are applying. So, the more you can show this and prove your sharpness to the recruiters, the more your CV will catch the eye of the recruiter and get you that interview!
7. Regular update
You may often overlook updating your CV. At times, you just want to get your CV in as soon as possible and this can be detrimental!! Regular updates of your CV can give you an edge over other job seekers.
An updated CV gives recruiters the impression that you are constantly growing and honing your skills. So before sending that CV, ensure you take time to update your skills and get rid of outdated and unnecessary information.
8. Proofread
Double and even triple-proofreading is a must. If you forget a mistake, your CV will stand far lower chances than it should.
A well-vetted CV shows how meticulous you are to recruiters, giving you that edge over others.
As human beings, we are bound to make mistakes. So, taking time to proofread your CV before sending it out will help you get rid of typos, wrong spellings, and grammatical errors.
You may use Grammarly to check for any errors & get some basic suggestions!
9. Send in PDF format!
In some instances, when you send your CV as a word document, its formatting may be disrupted when it gets to the recruiter's end. So, sending it as a PDF takes away such possibilities! When you save and send your CV in a PDF format there are no chances of its formatting being disrupted.
Tools you can use to create a CV
Canva, HipCV, Kickresume, and VisualCV are some tools you can employ to automate your CV drafting process.
These tools provide professional CV layouts and well-drafted phrases to help you make a great first impression. Some of these tools are free to use, while some require you to subscribe or buy a template to enjoy their services.
Huntzen is another tool that can be helpful in your job hunt. It is a platform you can use to send your resume to job offers you are interested in.
On Huntzen, you may look for job openings or suggest friends for job openings! It also allows you to be found by recruiters and recognized companies. Your profile is also matched with the most appropriate job offer.
Final thoughts
Today, the job market is very competitive. So, creating a CV that appeals to recruiters increases your chances of landing an interview for that dream job.
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