Top tips to make your CV stand out from the crowd

Your CV has one thing to do – get you noticed by potential employers. It is the ‘door-opener’ and needs to demonstrate clearly why you are the right person for the job or the company in question. This needs to be done in the most concise and targeted way possible and you need to test that it passes the 7 second rule! (on average if an employer doesn’t see what they want in 7 seconds your chances of getting shortlisted or interview are slim to none!) Get the basics right and they will read on.

Keep it to 2 pages – it doesn’t matter how much experience you have or how many courses you have done, only those that are relevant to the job should be included. This means that you will need to adapt your CV to different jobs and as your career develops. Use a clear and simple layout. Fonts such as Times New Roman, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Calibri, Cambria, Georgia and Helvetica are best and use 12-point font size. Put your name (in larger font) at the top of the CV and include your contact details underneath – email, mobile number, address if you feel you want to, and LinkedIn profile details if you are on it. Stick to the truth. While it is tempting to stretch it a little, if you get called to an interview or references are verified, there is every chance that you will get caught out.

Your CV should have the following sections – Opening summary/professional profile, Work Experience, Education and Training, Key skills and Expertise, Interests and Achievements (only needed if you are a recent graduate or school leaver) After the Opening Summary which can be done as a paragraph or bullet points, you need to lead with your strongest section. If you have extensive relevant experience and it has been a long time since you completed your education then you are primarily selling your experience on your CV. If you are student or recent graduate then you need to focus on how your education links to the job so give details of modules, projects and any key achievements linked to our qualification.

Employers like evidence and data so when completing the section on work experience include proof of what you have achieved in the workplace and rather than giving a list of tasks and responsibilities of your past jobs tell them what competency you have demonstrated. Use action verbs to explain what you do/did. Don’t forget to include voluntary work if relevant.In relation to education be selective. If it’s more than 15 years since you completed your Leaving Cert then you don’t really need to include it. While you may have lots of courses done over the years only include those which are relevant to the job you are applying for. You could also consider dividing them into two sections – ‘Education & Training’ and ‘Other training’. Information in sections on employment and education should be listed in reverse chronological order. If you are concerned about a gap in your CV, say for example if you have taken a year out to travel or some years out to care for family then state the years so the employer can account for the time and give a simple and short explanation of the competencies you developed during it.

Keywords are essential – this is particularly the case if the CV is being read by a computer before it ever reaches the eyes of a human resource manager, a process known as Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). Mirror the exact words (language and terminology) that have been used in the job description. Make it clear that you have what they are looking for. When it comes to Key skills and expertise make sure to link them directly to the job, demonstrate what you are great at and be prepared to explain your skills in interview. In relation to ‘Interests and Achievements’ give a line about each one that is useful and dynamic but keep it short. If you have many years of experience and lots in the education section you could leave this out unless it is an important part of what the employer should know about you or linked in some way to the job you are applying for. Unless you are a recent graduate or starting out in your career, employers don’t need details of referees on your CV (only if requested to do so in the job advertisement) as they won’t contact them until after interview. Always remember to ask permission of those who have agreed to provide a reference for you to include their name and contact details on the CV.

Proof read the finished product several times! There is no greater turnoff for a potential employer than seeing spelling, grammar mistakes or misprints. Get a couple of family members or friends to check it and don’t rely on spellcheck! As you read over it keep thinking – is this an accurate, positive and dynamic reflection of me as a potential employee, have I linked it directly to the role I am applying for and will it stand out from other applicants? If so, it’s a job well done so send it off!