CV secrets you need to know to help you stand out

Author : Annie Mirza, editorial coordinator at APM

Writing a good CV that impresses employers and lands you interviews sounds like a simple task but often it can be quite difficult. Your CV is one of the most important tools you have as a candidate, so it’s vital you take time and invest in making it as good as it can be. There’s no perfect formula when it comes to writing a CV; if you share it with 10 different people, you’ll get 10 different opinions. Remember, your CV is unique to you, it’s your first impression for an employer or recruiter and there are different ways you can help your CV stand out:

1. Tailor it for the role you’re applying for. This may seem like a lot of work and effort, but it’s well worth it if you want to  secure an interview. If you get the basics in your CV down, then it will be easier to make small adjustments when applying for different roles. This will also help you keep your CV up to date with any new achievements and responsibilities.

2. Share an introduction to yourself. Who are you and what are your achievements? Can you tailor this to the role and show examples of success? Create a personal statement using a few sentences to outline your skills and immediately grab the reader’s attention. 

3. Don’t ignore the keywords. A lot of recruitment agencies and employers use electronic word search tools to filter CVs, helping them filter candidates. Ensure you sprinkle keywords from their job description into your skills and experience section of your CV , for example if they’re looking for someone with ‘experience leading multiple teams’ then add this phrase to your CV. 

4. Make it to the point and clear. We often hear that we need to stand out but what exactly does this mean? Memes and fancy fonts aren’t the way to go. Keep your experiences and skills short and succinct, including key words. This allows the readers to quickly get information about you and presenting yourself in a few words will avoid CV fatigue that many recruiters will slip into.

5. Share your accomplishments, don’t just state your experience. Employers need to know what makes you different and well suited to the role, as well as the organisation – what can you bring? Learn a bit about the culture of the organisation and relate this to your experience.  Show where you have added value in previous roles, been a problem solver , lead teams, any quantifiable results, etc.

Remember to keep your CV tidy, neat and error-free; a clear, legible font with headings and bullet points is great. Always remember that your CV is your first impression, make it count.

Please share your most important tip for CVs and job applications below!

Annie is the editorial coordinator at APM working on the APM Blogs, APM community platform and website.

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