In the world of employment, your CV is your first impression, a chance to sell your skills and your story.
With job listings receiving hundreds if not thousands of applicants each day your CV needs to stand out from the crowd by being personalized, remaining succinct and looking professional. So here are 6 things you absolutely must include on your CV.
1: Your name and contact details
Where do you put your name if you want someone to read it? The answer is at the top of the document. Always include your full name, email and phone number at the top of your CV so that no one can miss them, you may also want to consider adding in your address if the job is location sensitive.
2: Whether you have transportation
Some roles may require applicants to have a car or drivers licence, if this is the case then don’t miss this information off your CV. Employers often have boxes to tick and if they can’t find the information they’re looking for then you may get a cross in the box for information you just didn’t bother to include. If you’re consistently finding that you are unable to get a job because of your lack of transportation then don’t panic, even those without a good credit rating can now apply for Bad Credit Car Finance and so you could have 4 wheels before you know it.
3: Your relevant work experience
CV’s need to be succinct, ideally one side of A4, making it easy for employers to see at a glance whether you’re the candidate for the job and demonstrating that you can evaluate and provide only the most relevant information. One area in which people tend to overwrite is their job experience. Try to keep most of the descriptions for your previous roles brief and pay the most attention to your most recent or relevant role which is the one that matters most.
4: Your education and qualifications
The education and qualifications section of your CV is another area in which many people tend to overshare. That certificate you received 10 years ago probably isn’t relevant now and your employer is probably just looking for the highest level of education you have.
5: Your hobbies and interests
Many people tend to neglect this area of their CV, putting in a generic answer such as ‘in my spare time I enjoy reading or spending time with my friends’ which shows little imagination and flair. This is your chance to show a piece of you in your CV, to show off your character, if you enjoy reading about space fiction then include that you like reading about space fiction, if you like climbing then talk about where you have climbed - whatever it may be let your passion shine through.
6: Your skills
Finally, don’t forget to mention your skills, be that graphic design, leadership, copywriting etc. Your skills section should respond directly to the job description whilst also showing that you are rounded in the workplace. To make your CV stand out and look more interesting you could consider displaying your skills in a visual form, such as with a chart or infographic.
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