Top 7 CV improvements - UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Your CV is your most important tool for landing your dream job, but is yours letting you down? Here are our top 7 CV improvements to help you take your CV from average to amazing!
1. Keep it short & sweet
Advice regarding CV length varies between countries, industries, and jobs.
For example, the University of Adelaide College recommends:
SEEK elaborates on this topic further - they suggest:
Ultimately, there is no strict rule for CV length, so you should use your discretion to decide what length is most suitable for you. Think about the person reading it - with fifty other applications to go through, they will likely lose interest if there is too much information. Your CV needs to be clear, concise, and memorable - a good rule of thumb is to keep it short enough that the hiring manager can easily digest the key information.
Professional photo
On your front page, include a professional photo of yourself to personalise your application. See section 4 for details.
Suburb
Employers want to get an idea of where you are located relative to their office, so there’s no need to list your full address. A suburb and a postcode are sufficient.
Contact information
Your contact details are a crucial element of your CV, as they allow the recruiter to reach out to you if they are interested in your application. As such, you should put this information somewhere obvious (not hidden in a header or footer).
LinkedIn profile
With digital technology continuously growing, most people are now on LinkedIn. This is a great platform for professional networking, and it's worth including a link to your profile on your CV, as recruiters often look you up on LinkedIn before reading your CV.
LinkedIn allows you to customise your URL. Ideally, your URL should just be your name or your name with a number if it is taken. This looks much cleaner and more professional on your CV compared to the default jumble of numbers, letters, and symbols.
Example of the information to be included in the contact section of your CV.
Profile
Include a brief paragraph about your career objectives. For example, “Driven sales professional with a proven record of achievements. Currently seeking permanent full-time employment with a progressive firm within the pharmaceuticals industry.”
Education
Only include education that is relevant to the role you are applying for. Your highest level of education is usually sufficient - employers don't need to know where you went to primary school!
Employment
List your employment history in chronological order, with the most recent at the top. For each company, include a link to their website and/or a brief description, so the recruiter can look up the company to find out more.
Referees
Have your references' contact details available upon request. There is no need to have them in your application unless specifically asked to. The last thing you want is for a recruiter to contact your current employer!
You can check out or blog on managing your references in your CV by clicking the button below.
Example of the information to be included in the main section of your CV.
2. Formatting matters
A well-formatted CV makes all the difference when reading through applications.
Space is your friend
Recruiters don’t want to see a CV with too much information squished together. As such when formatting your CV, you should:
This may seem like a small change, but it will make it much easier for the recruiter to read and skim through your CV.
You should also remember to:
Go easy on the colours
Fancy fonts and bright colours can easily become a distraction – if there are too many shapes or colours, the reader won’t know where to look!
Traditionally, CVs are black and white to show a level of structured professionalism. However, for more creative jobs such as advertising or media roles, it is good to show some colour and creativity in your resume. Just don’t go overboard.
Using a professional and neutral colour for headings is a great way to draw attention to the different sections of your CV.
Simple and easy to read font
Extravagant fonts are completely unnecessary and, like excessive colours, will detract focus from what matters. We recommend using Arial in size 12.
3. Proofread & spell check
Recruiters often reject CVs due to incorrect spelling or grammar. A common mistake we come across is ‘Manager’ being misspelt as ‘Manger’. We suggest you ask someone else read over your CV to make sure it is up to scratch.
If you find that you are using the same descriptive words repeatedly, use a thesaurus to help change things up. At 11, we use WordHippo.
4. Include a photograph
There is some debate over whether you should include a photo in your CV. At 11, we like it when applicants include a photo of themselves, as it allows us to put a face to a name. It also helps to personalise your application.
If you do decide to include a photo in your CV, Novoresume suggests that you:
This is not an appropriate picture for a CV. This kind of photo may show your personality but it is not appropriate for a work related image. A cropped group photo is also not appropriate.
A selfie with a distracting background might look nice but it is not appropriate for a CV.
This is an appropriate photo. The background is plain and doesn't detract focus from the person's face. The clothes are also business casual and are suitable for a variety of roles.
5. Tailor your CV
Tailor your CV with your prospective employer in mind. You want to demonstrate how they will benefit by hiring you instead of someone else.
Focus on matching your skills and experience to the selection criteria or requirements they have listed in the job advertisement.
For example, if a job ad lists the criteria of "demonstrated ability to regularly achieve sales KPIs", you might state "consistently achieved monthly sales targets, with a customer retention rate of 80%, and 20% new business each month" in your CV.
When writing applications, you should also write a tailored cover letter as opposed to a generic one. You can read more about how to write great cover letters by clicking the button below.
6. Position yourself
Play to your strengths and put the important information first. Work experience should be in reverse chronological order, as your most recent employment is most probably your most relevant. You should also include all your achievements and accomplishments.
8. Five critical CV don'ts
Don't lie
The truth will always come out, whether it’s through reference checks, mutual acquaintances, or a slip of the tongue further down the track. Be honest about your reasons for leaving, employment gaps, and achievements.
Use a professional email address
Don't use your childhood email - an address like [email protected] will not make a good first impression. Use an email address that is simple and professional.
Don't include certain details
Leave out any information that could be used to discriminate against you. It is illegal for employers to ask about your age, marital status, religion, sexual preference and nationality in Australia. These details do not impact your ability to do the job, and therefore do not need to be included in your CV. Stick to the basic personal information of just your name and contact details.
Don't include referee details
The purpose of your resume is to secure you an interview. Referees do not contribute to this and should come later in the process.
Don't leave unexplained gaps
Include dates on all jobs and explain any gaps in employment. Leaving dates out may suggest you have something to hide.
