Aside from all the usual (and hopefully obvious) advice, like ‘don’t make any spelling or grammar mistakes’, ‘no waffling’ and ‘tidy format’, there are a few other ways you can create a great stand-out CV.
The Daily Business Post asked Stephen Quinn, CEO of Jobbio, an Irish-owned online hiring platform, for some tips on creating a CV that will stand out to any hiring manager.
“In an employer’s mind it’s not just about the success you have had leading up to this point, it’s about applying those experiences to potential future roles,” Quinn said.
1. Be Inventive
“The future of recruitment can’t be word documents and bullet points. People have too much more to show and say; whether it’s campaigns they’ve worked on, blogs they’ve written or even their Twitter feed,” Quinn added.
Companies tend to get huge amounts of unsolicited CVs, but when they’re actually actively hiring, that number jumps significantly. Making yourself stand out in the crowd is vital.
Given the number of CVs a hiring manager is going to be looking at in one sitting, you won’t have very long to make yourself stand out — probably only about 20 seconds, Quinn said.
2. Be Positive
Irish people typically are terrible at talking themselves up. It’s time to change that, said Quinn.
“A lot of people are too modest in what they have achieved and what they can do. Irish people are naturally self deprecating. We should really be taking a page out of the book of our uber-positive neighbours in America where everything is awesome and uplifting.”
Remember, you are selling yourself. If you don’t think you’re the greatest person for the job, why should anyone else?
“You have to present yourself in the best possible light and ensure they feel they have to have you involved with their company. Companies are looking to solve a problem, not to fill a seat, you have to show them you are the answer to their problem.”
3. Be Truthful
Everyone has bent the truth about themselves at one point or another, but when it comes to your CV, stick to the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Otherwise, you’re just opening yourself up for trouble — whether it be an awkward situation mid-interview or later down the road when someone discovers you can’t actually do that thing you said you can do.
“A very small percentage of us are genuinely satisfied with what we have achieved, so we generally beef it up when we think we can get away with it. Saying you’re a rocket scientist and then getting caught out is embarrassing for everyone involved. Whether you believe it or not you have a huge amount to offer, adding in fake details will always end badly,” Quinn said.
It’s frustrating for a hiring manager to receive CVs from people who turn out to be clearly unqualified for the position, so be honest with yourself. If you’re in doubt about whether you’re right for the job, then don’t waste your time applying.
4. Back up claims with evidence
Listing off a bunch of skills with no proof that you really possess them probably isn’t going to seem convincing to any employer. You need to let the company know you’ve actually put them into practice in reality.
“There needs to be a bit of thought put in at this point, if you say you are a good communicator, make sure you demonstrate this with examples. This will help the brands build a picture of what you’re like,” Quinn said.
“If you do this when writing your CV, it will also highlight the skills which aren’t really relevant at all and are just words there to fill space, which you can then remove.”
5. Keep your CV close by
The way we find jobs now is a lot different to the way we found them and applied for them ten years ago. Quinn believes that the future of how we get hired will continue to become more mobile.
“You really need to have your CV in your smartphone,” he said.
Sites like Jobbio allow users to create a live CV that lives in the cloud and lets you apply for jobs instantly with a click.