Introduction
According to Matt Davies Stockton, on average, recruiters spend less than 10 seconds on a CV before deciding on candidates suitable for the role. That’s why first impressions are very important, and you need to make an impressive one with your CV. Let’s check out how you can do that.
The Details
1. Strong summary – Start with a strong summary of your skills and accomplishments. Make those first 10 seconds count. The aim is to grab attention and make the recruiter read through the CV. The personal profile is very important since it tells the recruiter who you are. For instance, if you’re building a CV for being recruited as a software developer, you may want to point out a few relevant things. Show how committed and enthusiastic you are at your job and have a proven track record of creating databases and designing websites.
2. Emphasize results, not just responsibilities – Most people list down past responsibilities to make their CV impressive and show how broad their skill set is. However, just highlighting your responsibilities isn’t enough, especially with the fear of recession in the market. While listing responsibilities in previous roles, focus on the results you achieve there.
For instance, if you were a digital marketer, don’t just say you were responsible for increasing social media management. Also, list down your most impressive achievements by listing down the amount of social media engagement you helped to increase for different companies. Quantifiable data makes your CV look more impressive.
3. Use powerful words – Don’t underestimate the effect of powerful words. Powerful words give your CV additional impact and emphasize your achievements. Words like ‘innovative’, ‘adaptive’, ‘achieved’, and ‘implemented’ attract the recruiter’s attention and make them read through the results or outcomes that follow up.
Large enterprises don’t even use human recruiters for the first two stages of recruiting. They use database software to filter through candidates using certain keywords. You can get a clue about those keywords by reading about the company and job description.
4. Make sure the recruiter knows you’re connected – You’ll meet an array of all kinds of people in your previous jobs, college, and university. Make sure to demonstrate that on your CV. Networking shows you have strong communication skills. Companies often value that as much as your technical and job-related skills.
5. Demonstrate industry insights – If you’re able to successfully show awareness and knowledge about the industry you are applying for, it leaves a good impression on recruiters. It shows that you are on top of trends and increases your value to employers. Before building your CV, research and read up on industry changes, relevant news, and other information about the industry. This helps a lot in building a CV and during the interview.
Conclusion
Matt Davies Stockton suggests that you use the above-mentioned tips for building an impressive CV and increasing the chances of being recruited for the job. It can be a time-consuming and arduous process. However, it’s worth the time and effort since it decides the next direction in your career.