By Recruiters only take 7 to 8 seconds to determine whether the CV is worth spending time on or not. Hence, you must create a resume that forces them to consider you a potential candidate.
But the question is how?
Well, by adding the relevant skills, highlighting your experience, not just telling but showing your achievements, and formatting it in the right manner.
If you have no clue how to create the perfect CV, don’t worry! We’ve got your back! In this blog, we will walk you through the steps to take your resume from basic to a visually appealing, top-notch CV that impresses the hiring manager.
Hence, make sure to stick to the blog till the end!
What Are The Key Elements of A CV?
When creating a CV, there are certain key elements that you need to add, or your resume will only look like a useless piece of paper.
But what are they?
Well, these elements include:
- Header With Contact Information: How would the managers know who you are if they don’t see your name at the top? Hence, add your full name, email, phone number, and address.
- Add Professional Summary: Tell the readers who you are, your goals, ambition, and how you can make a big difference.
- Detail Your Education: Next, you must add your degree and diplomas within the field for which you are applying.
- Convey Your Skills: You must tell the hiring managers that you have the soft and hard skills needed to excel in your role. From time management to technical skills, add those that make you stand out.
- Provide Work Experience: Detail all your work experiences so the employer can understand the role. From internships to volunteer work, etc, make sure to include everything.
- Additional Sections: To make your resume more impressive, consider adding sections like Languages and Awards.
Basic CV Template
If you have no clue what your CV should look like, here is a basic template for your guidance. Furthermore, you can tailor it accordingly.
Tips for Writing a Solid CV From Scratch
Creating a CV from scratch might look impossible. However, it is not that big of a deal if you follow the correct strategies, like:
- Researching the industry
- Adding relevant keywords
- Tailoring the CV according to the industry
- Formatting Properly
- Talking about transferable skills
- Highlighting Your Experience
- Proofread
- Getting it Done by the Professionals
Through these strategies, you can create a top-notch resume that impresses the hiring managers and makes you stand out.
Come on! Let’s break down each one of them as
1. Researching the industry
Before you sit down to create a CV, make sure you have prior knowledge about the industry and the company for which you are applying.
Why?
It shows your enthusiasm and passion for the role. Hence, take your time to research the company’s goals, objectives, and core values. Furthermore, read the job description to see if you fit perfectly.
2. Adding relevant keywords
Over 98.5% of 500 Fortune companies use ATS, an AI-driven software, to find relevant CVs (Source: GoHire). And 75% of resumes are rejected by ATS software before reaching a human recruiter.
Well, you don’t want to be on this list. Hence, to optimise your CV for ATS, use relevant and industry-centric keywords. Furthermore, make sure not to overstuff them.
For example, if the job description concerns the marketing manager, consider using keywords like SEO, Branding, or Social Media. These keywords will help you pass this software like a pro.
3. Tailoring the CV according to the industry
A one-size-fits-all solution is not an ideal choice when creating a CV. Hence, don’t make this mistake.
Instead, tailor the CV according to the industry or job description you are applying for. From the experiences to the achievements, make sure everything matches your roles.
4. Formatting Properly
The format of your resume matters a lot.
There we said it!
When creating a CV, you need to choose the correct format. Every employer has different requirements. Hence, make sure to read the job description. There are three most common ones used, which include:
- Functional
- Chronological
- Hybrid
Here is a comparison between them:
| Format Type | Best For | Key Features |
| Functional | ● If you are changing careers and have transferable skills, this format is for you. | ● It focuses on skills rather than work experience. |
| Hybrid | ● Moreover, it is perfect for those with relevant work experience. | ● It combines skills and work experience. Additionally, while using this, you chronologically state your work history. |
| Chronological | ● Traditional Career Paths | ● It allows you to list work history chronologically. |
So make sure to pick the correct format. If you are having trouble creating a CV, consider looking at the examples available online.
5. Talking about transferable skills
Got any transferable skills like communication, adaptability, teamwork, or leadership that you can apply to any role?
Then make sure to add it to your CV.
It shows you are compatible with different roles and can adjust well to the company.
6. Highlighting Your Experience
The next thing you need to do is highlight your experience. Adding the correct work experience can make a big difference.
So, use the chronological method to state the experience from the current one and then move towards the previous ones.
Don’t just tell; instead, show them relevant examples. Hence, it will help make a good impression.
For Example:
Organised and led training sessions. It enhanced work productivity by 15%.
Coordinated with a cross-functional team.
7. Proofread
After you are done creating the resume, make sure to proofread. Ensure that it is formatted properly. Also, make sure that there are no grammatical, structural, and punctuation issues.
Additionally, you can even use the ATS software to check the score and ensure that your resume can pass through the tracking system.
8. Getting it Done by the Professionals
Lastly, if you are having trouble creating, consider connecting with the professionals. Services like Professional CV Maker have years of experience. Thus, they can help you craft a flawless CV that matches your job description perfectly.
Wrapping Up!
So that is a wrap! If you are struggling to create the perfect CV, start by knowing your industry, adding relevant keywords, tailoring it accordingly, talking about transferable skills, and highlighting your experiences. Furthermore, don’t forget to proofread, and you can even consider getting it done by the professionals. Additionally, don’t forget to adhere to the key elements. By following these tips, you can craft a solid CV.
