Even though the pandemic changed the way people work, landing a job has remained pretty much the same. You need to compose an impressive CV, go to interviews and tests, and then get hired and get your first paycheck. However, what has changed since the pandemic is the competition in the working market.
Some domains are very popular among candidates, so there are a lot of them who apply for the same position type. This means that you have to stand out from the crowd and catch the attention of the recruiters. You need to convince them to set up an interview with you to find out more about your experience and personality. And you can do this by creating an outstanding CV. So, here is a guide on how to compose an impressive one.
What Is a CV?
A CV or a resume is a document where you briefly present your experience, skills, achievements, hobbies, and so on. Usually, when applying for a job, companies will ask for a cover letter too.
These two documents complete each other. It is for this reason that the CV should not be lengthy, but similar to a summary. Because you will expand more about yourself in your cover letter. You can use a CV editing service CareersBooster to polish your CV to create a fantastic one.
CV Sections
You might find a lot of CV examples online. One tip that you should be aware of is that you can adapt your resume to the position you apply for. For example, if you have studied Computer Science and had a part-time job as a bartender during college, you can select the experience you include in your CV. If you apply for a job as a developer, the bartender experience is not relevant. But if you apply for a job as a bar manager, for example, that experience is relevant.
But let’s see the job sections you should include in your CV.
Name and Contact Details – this is pretty straightforward. You need to add your name and personal details such as phone number, email address, and city of residence in your CV. like this, the recruiter will have an easy time contacting you.
Summary – not all CVs have it, but it would be nice to add it. In the summary, you could express your career goals and mention some skills that recommend you. Keep in mind that it should be two or three rows long at maximum.
Work Experience – this is the section where you can list your previous work experience. If you have had a lot of jobs, include the ones that are relevant for the position you apply for. Include key responsibilities and tasks that you had.
And a tip to catch the attention of the recruiter and make your CV stand out from the crowd is to mention key accomplishments. Everyone can say what their tasks were, but few candidates manage what they have achieved at that job. Just shed a different perspective on your experience and stand out from the crowd.
Education – a brief section where you should mention your education experience. If you have graduated, mention what you have studied and where. If you took part in specialization courses, mention them.
Voluntary Experience – during college, many students engage in voluntary activities. Maybe you have been part of a student NGO that organizes job fairs and competitions for students. Maybe you have been part of an NGO that aims to help people with autism to learn. Maybe you have helped an NGO that protects animals and the environment. Either way, you can list your volunteer experience in a separate section.
Hobbies – this section is not mandatory. However, it can shed more light on your personality and the recruiter can get a better grasp of who you are.
Skills – a skills section should be included too. If you can find another way to list your skills (maybe in the work experience section), you can skip it. What is important to note is that you can divide the section into soft skills and hard skills.
Within the soft skills section, you could mention what skills you have developed during your previous work and/or volunteer experience. Avoid listing the most common skills that everyone mentions such as “hardworking” or “team player”. Find more creative ways to list your skills.
Tips for Composing an Impressive CV
Here are a few tips you should consider when composing your CV. they will help you create an impressive one.
Template
One of the questions you may ask yourself is what template to choose. How should the final draft look? How to layout your CV? Well, the answer to these questions is simple. There is no correct or wrong layout. However, you should make sure that every section of your CV stands out and it is easy to find.
Do not forget that recruiters spend only a few seconds skimming your resume. So, they need to easily find the information they are looking for. You can find a lot of templates you can choose from. Make sure you do not use a general one, such as the Europass template in Europe, but one that shows your personality.
Length
How long and detailed should your CV be? Well, this depends on your experience. For example, if you are a professional with over 10-15 years of experience, for sure there are a lot of things you want to mention. So, maybe your final CV draft will have two A4 pages.
However, as mentioned above, recruiters see hundreds of CVs daily. So, they spend quite a little time on your CV, maybe up to 10 seconds. So, a one-page CV is recommended. Do not forget that you can expand more on your experience in your cover letter.
Final Thoughts
An impressive CV can land you the job you are looking for. However, you need to compose an outstanding one that will convince the recruiter you will be a good fit within the company. Use this guide to create a fantastic one.
