In the competitive job-hunting world, your CV is the key to unlocking opportunities. Your CV is much more than just a register of your professional and academic journey, it is your personal marketing document designed to impress recruiters and employers. In this blog post, we will guide you on how to plan and structure your CV effectively.
Think about your career goals
Crafting a document that truly speaks to your goals requires a bit of a detour. Before you decide to immediately start, just hit the break and think: What do you expect from the job opportunity? How do you want to shape your career? What are the skills and expertise you really want to showcase in your CV? Reflecting on this kind of question can make all the difference. So, before you get into the actual writing of your CV, make sure to have a chat with yourself and mull over some questions. Here we will guide you on 7 key questions you should ask yourself before you move on:
- Why am I looking for a new role?
- What salary and benefit packages am I looking for?
- What role would be the most suitable for my long-term career goals?
- What are the technical and soft skills I want to develop?
- What work culture and environment do I want to join in?
- What are the deal-breakers for me?
- What am I prepared to be more flexible about?
Once you’re clear on exactly what you’re looking for and what are your expectations, you are ready to start thinking about structuring your CV. But before you do, make sure you read the job description again and identify the keywords and skills that appear most frequently in the ad, so that you can include them in your CV later.
How to structure your CV?
Now you are ready to start writing your CV. To get started, you need to decide on the structure of your CV and map out the blue points of your CV that you need to include. We will guide you through the key sections you should include in your CV to give recruiters and employers a complete picture of you:
- Provide personal details: You should start your CV by providing recruiters with your personal details, which usually include your first and last name, main telephone number and email address, to ensure that employers can easily contact you. You can also enhance your CV by including links to your current professional online profiles to ensure seamless synchronisation with the information presented in your CV.
- Include a brief personal statement: Summarise your career story in a few sentences, highlighting the skills that you can offer to the employer.
- Employment history: Provide details of your work history, including any paid work, volunteer or work experience placements which are relevant to the job opportunity you are applying for.
- Education and Training: Keep in mind to include your educational background, including your academic background, as well as any relevant courses and training you have covered.
- Highlight your achievements: Do not forget to highlight your achievements, which can demonstrate your suitability for the role you are applying for and further demonstrate your skills and attributes.
- Summarise your relevant skills: Be sure to include a short-bulleted list of your technical and soft skills, focusing on those that are most relevant to the roles you are interested in.
- Show your hobbies or interests: Keep this section as brief as possible. Use the space to showcase how your personality is suited to the role you are interested in.
A Structure-Winning CV Example
To ensure your CV not only stands out but also aligns with Applicant Tracking System (ATS) requirements, it’s crucial to follow a structured format. Below, we’ll provide an example CV format that’s ATS score compliant and enhances readability:
Feel free to customize this example format according to your specific industry, experience, and preferences.
The Way Forward:
At Careerwrite, we understand how challenging it can be to structure and craft a winning CV in today’s competitive world. Our experienced consultants are ready to guide you through this process and help you demonstrate your education, expertise and skills that will make you stand out from the crowd. Check out our CV/resume guide services and book an appointment with one of our career consultants today!
Want to know more about how to create each section of your structured CV? Then stay tuned for our next blog post and sign up for our newsletter.
