CV – or curriculum vitae – is your friend on the job market. Thanks to it, you will prepare well for your new duties and make an equally good first impression – after all, it is your business card with your future employer. And although we all know more or less how to write a CV (i.e. its shorter form, otherwise known as résumé and more commonly used in America), it never hurts to refresh a few tips and add some imagination to our a cliché resume.
We guarantee that, with the help of our advice, your CV will land on top of similar documents on the employer’s desk.
1. Match them to the job you are applying for
It seems unlikely that you will apply for a job as an intern-marketer and café barista simultaneously with the same CV. If that’s what your plans are, good luck! In fact, even if you were applying in the same industry, you should still make sure that your CV matches the job description and requirements.
While you don’t have to write a new CV every time, do not send an identical document to all employers . A good strategy is to have a master résumé that includes everything you’ve done in life, what you’ve learned and achieved – such a document can then be easily edited and matched (omitting non-essential aspects) for each position you apply for.
Hint : A good way to match your CV to a specific position is to change the order of your accomplishments and skills. The most important features corresponding to a given advertisement should be placed at the very top of the document, so that the employer’s watchful eye could immediately encounter them.
2. Be the missing part of the puzzle
Don’t ask what employers can do for you, but what you can do for them. People aren’t interested in what you expect, but how can you support their company or organization.
One way to prove that you contribute to the company’s success is to add a short , a one- or two-sentence introduction to your CV. This is where you can make an impression of an employer, mention some private passion related to work and prove how you will lead the company to success. This is definitely a better idea than the traditional saying that you’d like to get the job and that you’re good for it. It is important to be short, concise and to the point.
Hint : Separate your “prelude” from the actual CV text and write it in italics or subtly change the font color – e.g. dark gray instead of black. Remember not to overdo it with decorating and formatting your text. Make your CV look neat and professional!
3. Share your skills
The rule is: experience first, then education. Academic degrees are undoubtedly important, but they do not describe you as clearly as the overall acquired skills, achievements and experience – these are your greatest strengths that will help you stand out from other candidates. Even if you have just left the university walls, every odd job, professional internship or volunteering has made you a responsible and organized person who can plan (also expenses).
Hint : Make sure headings like experience and education have clear headlines. As we wrote earlier, a neat and well laid out CV with headlines and key points is easier to read and this increases your chances of being invited to an interview.
4. Soft skills
Soft skills include communication skills, language skills, time management, leadership and much, much more. As long as you are still studying, you have a good opportunity to develop them by going abroad, for example for a student exchange. Studying abroad, au pairs or volunteering is an excellent opportunity to develop such qualifications. Suddenly you find that you have developed organizational skills, planning, interpersonal communication and you are coping well with life’s challenges. A stay abroad will certainly teach you independence, tolerance, openness to people and new cultures, and broaden your horizons. Use it! You just need to skillfully enter your foreign experience into your CV.
Hint : if you have a passion for traveling and discovering new cultures, write about it in your introduction to your CV. Also include your trip in the “Experience” section, and possibly also “Education”, if you managed to get one at the same time. This will be especially useful if you are applying for a job with an international organization or are looking for a job abroad.
5. Make a list and check everything two times
And our short list, so you can be sure that everything is buttoned up to the last button. Check that your CV, in which you have included all relevant information, corresponds to the position you are applying for. See if you have included all the points on our list before sending your CV to your future employer.
Checklist:
- Choose a classic font that is sure to be installed on the recruiters’ computer – such as Arial or Helvetica.
- Choose a font size that makes reading easier – you want your future employer to talk to you, not an ophthalmologist.
- Remember about margins, thanks to them Your CV will be legible and professional looking.
- Limit yourself to short points – you don’t write a novel.
- Avoid the passive form and use verbs that characterize the action – instead of “responsible for”, “internship”, “duties were” write : “Implemented”, “improved”, “carried out”.
- Check spelling and grammar. We do not allow mistakes. Ask your mum, dad or friend to double-check your CV before sending it to recruiters. Stupid mistakes never make a good impression!
- Save and send your CV in PDF format. Anyone can read a PDF, and you can rest assured that the format and composition will not change, as is sometimes the case with a Word document.
6. Don’t forget about your Internet profile
Now that your CV looks stunning and you’re ready to submit your job application, make sure that Google Search will also show you the best side. You can expect a potential employer to enter your name and surname in the search engine, therefore also take care of your internet image. First of all, let your LinkedIn profile reflect what you wrote on your resume. It does not have to be the exact same information. Expand what you wrote in your CV, add a little more about yourself – here you are not limited by one A4 page. You can, for example, add links to your projects or recommendations from bosses and colleagues in the industry. Include anything that doesn’t have enough space on your CV.
Tip : Don’t forget to add your language skills to your LinkedIn profile, especially if you are considering an international career. As for the English language, we recommend a free standardized language test that you can add directly to your LinkedIn profile.
