Importance of a Strong CV
Understanding the importance of a strong CV is about presenting your best self and influencing the decision-makers. Imagine being in the shoes of an HR professional or a company’s CEO. During the application process, they sift through numerous CVs. What can you offer that will make your CV stand out and influence their decision in your favor?
When creating a CV, the one-size-fits-all rule doesn’t apply here. The CV should even be adapted for each employer differently. You need to find ‘The Match’ – the skill, the experience or the achievement that the employer looks for, and you have it. Tailoring your CV to the specific needs of companies not only helps you get past the applicant tracking system, but also increases your chances of capturing the recruiter’s attention and moving forward in the hiring process. ‘The Match’ is your unique selling point that will guide the story in the CV, and every info will be built around it.
Having things in common is the glue that will “stick” the interviewer’s eyes to your resume. This way, you are not only the first stage – the screening part- but also set the next stage for a successful interview and build a strong basis for more concrete talks during the interview.
Presentation Matters
The appearance of your CV is not just a formality. It’s an opportunity to showcase your creativity and innovation. As visual creatures, we are naturally drawn to aesthetically pleasing designs. Therefore, never underestimate the power of a well-designed CV. It can significantly influence how your potential employers perceive you and your professional story. Your CV should be eye-catching to attract attention, but always maintain a professional and polished look.
A cluttered or poorly formatted document risks being overlooked, no matter how many impressive achievements are included. Recruiters value clarity and professionalism, so aim for a layout that is clean and easy to navigate. For example, use concise bullet points instead of long paragraphs and sentences. Separate your relevant information more often and use headings for each part. Your headings should use specific keywords from the job description. Remember, readability is the key.
Tailoring Your CV
We will repeat here once again: avoid the One-Size-Fits-All strategy. Instead, focus your efforts on crafting the best possible CV for each job application, separately. As every job title is specifically tailored to the employer’s needs, that is how you should approach writing your CV. Tailoring also applies to tone and structure. If you’re applying for a creative role, consider adding subtle creative wording and design elements. Including a well-crafted personal profile at the top of your CV can help showcase your professional identity and make your application stand out.
The only things that can stay the same in your CVs are the transferable skills. These skills and competencies can apply across different roles, industries and sectors, making you a more attractive candidate to potential employers. They can showcase your most relevant skills, your adaptability and your versatility.
Last but not least, write a personal statement. Although it is not included in your CV and is meant as a separate, non-mandatory document, include it in your application. It is your chance to show your personality and your way of thinking. Here, you can include your career goals. To create a good CV, keep it short, but always write it from scratch – if it’s not custom-made, suited for the specific job post, it will lose its point.
Showcasing Achievements
Here, we can discuss selecting and pinpointing the best examples from your employment history. Focusing on key achievements from your previous jobs will make your CV more compelling and help you stand out.
Remember, less is more, so don’t write too much detail into this part – keep the long stories for the live interview and use your achievements only as a hook to grab the recruiter’s interest for the later recruitment phases.
Use the STAR method of showcasing relatable and tangible achievements in a short and concise format:
- Situation. Short description and introduction to the situation.
- Task. What task/project was given to you?
- Action. What action did you take to attain this?
- Result. What was the result?
Skills Section – Beyond the Basics
Relevant achievements are the backbone of your professional offering. Make sure they are always up to date. Name all your hard skills that are mandatory for your profession, but don’t write them in a vague list – show their proof by connecting them with a project or a result.
Nowadays, soft skills are in demand more than ever. Managers and HR professionals are first trying to find the right people for their company, and later on work closely with them to find their most suitable position, one where they can attribute the most. Yes, it is a longer process, but it pays off multiple times afterwards. This way, they ensure their retention rates remain at the lowest point and their loyalty levels reach the highest.
Make it Visually Appealing
A visually appealing CV doesn’t mean that it should be flashy. On the contrary, a minimal and simple design and structure will always do the trick. Use bold text, but don’t overuse colours. You can use icons, but subtle ones. Use universally accepted fonts like Arial and Calibri, which are proven to be readable in both digital and printed formats.
Maintain consistent font sizes: 10-12 for body text and slightly larger for headings. Incorporate empty spaces between sections to prevent overcrowding and give your CV room to breath. While talking about sections you can make them easily findable by adding thin horizontal lines or subtle colour blocks behind headings as visual dividers.
Choosing the Right Format and Template
Imagine you are a recruiter. You have a pile of 10 dozen CVs to go through for today. What do you think, you will stick to the longer ones, reading them to the very end, just to forget about what you read at the beginning?
Keep it simple. Keep it short. You don’t need more than two pages to retell your professional experience. Your CV should provide only snapshots of it, not a full-length description. Write a keyword – confirm it with a short proof. Summarise. Restructure with bullet points. And that’s it. You have your well-packed and well-structured CV ready to draw attention.
Include Projects
Projects. We all have a lot of them. And they are all important, even the non-work-related ones. They are all significant because they provide concrete examples of how you apply your skills in real-world scenarios. Select and adjust the projects that can showcase the most required skills in the specific role.
The projects can be included in various CV sections to avoid making the document overcrowded. The most suitable place is under the job description, closely related to a specific job role. If you would like to showcase more projects, especially ones with a freelance or personal background, create a separate, dedicated Projects section.
Avoiding Common CV Mistakes
Even the most experienced professionals can fall into common CV traps that hurt their chances with hiring managers. One of the biggest mistakes is including too much detail—remember, your CV should be concise and focused on the most relevant information for the specific job application. Use bullet points to make your achievements and skills easy to scan, and always tailor your CV to the job description by using similar language and highlighting the most relevant skills and experiences.
Spelling mistakes and inconsistent formatting are instant red flags for employers, so double check your CV for errors before submitting. Stick to standard fonts like Arial or Calibri, and use a font size between 10 and 12 points for readability. Avoid images, tables, or unusual formatting, as these can confuse applicant tracking systems (ATS) and prevent your CV from being seen by a hiring manager. By steering clear of these common mistakes, you’ll ensure your CV gets noticed for the right reasons and stands out in a crowded field.
Building Your Professional Brand: Online Presence and Networking
In today’s competitive job market, your professional brand extends far beyond your CV. Job seekers who want to make their CV stand out should invest in building a strong online presence. Start with a polished LinkedIn profile that highlights your key skills, achievements, and career goals. Make sure your profile photo, summary, and work history are up to date and consistent with your CV.
But don’t stop there—potential employers often look at other social media platforms to get a sense of who you are. Keep your public profiles professional and aligned with the image you want to project. Networking is another powerful way to make your CV stand out. Attend industry events, join relevant groups, and connect with professionals in your field. These connections can offer valuable advice, referrals, and even direct job opportunities. By actively managing your online presence and networking, you show employers that you’re proactive, engaged, and serious about your career.
Make Your CV Stand Out with Olive Recruit
With years of experience connecting talented professionals with leading employers across different industries, people at Olive Recruit know what it takes to create a winning and visually appealing CV. On top of that, we optimise the content for ATS compatibility. Whether entering the workforce or seeking career advancement, we’ll help you make your CV reflect your unique strengths and aspirations.
We hope you enjoyed the practical tips from the people who have seen thousands of successful and unsuccessful CVs – Olive Recruit’s experienced recruiters.The next time you apply for a new job, make sure you use the most of them.
If you still need help applying these tips to create an outstanding CV, feel free to reach us.
