CV Writing Tips

According to McKinsey, around 7.6 million jobs are at risk because of the impact of COVID-19. It is anticipated that unemployment could peak at 9 percent, up from 4 percent in February 2020.

If you have been affected by this crisis then it might help to know that the risual Foundation are here to support you. We hope that our tips to help you create the perfect Curriculum Vitae (CV) will help you begin to get back on your feet.

Be clear and concise. It is likely that you have a lot of valuable experience to get across to the hiring team; make sure that you focus on which experiences or achievements are relevant to the role that you are applying for. Get to the point quickly by avoiding long sentences and use sufficient gaps in between your paragraphs to maintain a crisp, clear look on your page. Try and keep the CV to 2 sides of A4 if possible.

One-size does not fit all. Try not to send the same CV out for different roles. Instead, tailor your CV depending on the role and industry. Do your research and include a cover letter explaining why you want to work for that organisation and what they do that excites you. Use the job advert to determine what skills or experience you prioritise in your CV. Show the hiring team that they can tick their boxes with minimal effort.

Make it personal. Include things that you enjoy doing outside of work, especially those that demonstrate skills you have gained, team-work or using your initiative.

Attention to detail. Watch out for typos and grammar errors, hiring teams can be looking through 100s of CVs and this is an easy way to remove yourself from the process. Pay close attention to the words you use; use your language to show what you are evidencing through your experience, give plenty of specific examples.

Use assertive and positive language.  Words like "developed", "organised", "achieved" will help signpost the hiring team to your valuable experiences. Get to the crux of the valuable skills and experience you have gained from previous positions and make sure this is reflected clearly.

The risual Foundation runs group and 1:1 sessions to support those who are out of work or at risk of losing their job, get in touch with us to express your interest or for more information.