At RECRUITERS, we often talk to candidates about the importance of their CV. After all, it is more than likely the first impression you’re going to make to a potential employer, so it has to be the very best impression you can make.
Of course, the content of your CV is extremely important, as well as how closely matched your skills are to the job spec. However, even if you believe you’re the perfect candidate for the job, a badly formatted CV can really hinder your chances of getting brought to an interview stage. This can range from a CV that’s way too long or badly laid out sections, to timelines that don’t make sense or even just neglecting to check your spelling and grammar.
Simply put, without even reading your CV, a recruiter or hiring manager knows something about you by looking at your CV format. You could come across as someone who has attention to detail, professional, is a good communicator with an ability to deliver succinct results, or you might come across as someone who is none of those things.
We cannot underestimate the power of a strong CV template to help you land a job. Since 2006, we've seen every CV template and builder there is and Resume.io consistently ranks as our top CV builder every year. They've helped over 10 million job seekers build interview-worthy CVs that get people hired faster. They offer our community:
First, the length. You can read more about how long your CV should be here and get some valuable tips on how to shorten it if it’s too long, but a good rule of thumb is your CV should be no more than two pages, unless you’re an extremely senior person.
Next, you’ll need to think about your sections. You’ll need to include your personal details, your experience to date, your education and any additional accreditations you may have and you may need an extra section for skills, achievements, and perhaps hobbies and interests, if they’re relevant.
When laying out each section, the most important factor is that it’s clear and makes sense. Every section in your CV should be clean and tidy, with distinct and consistent headings. If you give it to a friend, can they make sense of it?
For your jobs, make sure your title, the company you worked for and the dates you worked there are clear. When listing the skills, day-to-day tasks used in each job, bullet points can make it easier to read and help hiring managers spot the most relevant information.
Your font should be a simple and professional one, such as Arial or Times New Roman. Make sure each section is consistent in size, spacing, font, and alignment. If your headings are size 14, make sure all your headings are size 14 and so on. It may seem like a small detail but in reality, an inconsistent detail sticks out a mile away.
You may feel like adding some creative flourishes to help you stand out from the rest, but generally speaking, this is not the best idea and may make you stand out for the wrong reasons, unless an employer has explicitly asked for a creative CV. If you’re a designer or the creative industry in general and want to show off your skills in that area, direct them to an online portfolio or bring a physical one to your interview. If you’re staring at blank page, wondering how you’re going to start your CV, consider downloading one of our free CV templates to get started with.
Finally, how you format the saved file is also important. Keep the title of the document simple, such as Firstname_Lastname.pdf and avoid adding the company name to the title to avoid accidentally sending the wrong one to an employer. Additionally, while most organisations will accept both Word documents and PDF files, PDF files are universal and are guaranteed to keep the formatting intact, even on a Mac. However, do always check if the job spec has any file specifications.
Looking for more advice? Here’s everything you need to know about your CV. Ready to find your dream job? Simply register your CV with us and/or create job alerts tailored to your specific career preferences. Sit back, and let us do the hard work on your behalf.
Written with contributions from the RECRUITERS team
Mac laptop photo by Rachel Moenning on Unsplash
