Updating your CV is one of the most important things that a candidate must do. Some career experts say you should update your CV every six to eight months to add new skills and experience; but the truth is, most people shelve theirs, and send out really outdated CVs when applying for new career opportunities
If you haven’t revised your CV in a while, you probably have some stuff on there that really needs some updating; and with recruiters spending about ten seconds viewing a CV, you can’t afford for yours to be anything less than amazing
Here are four quick “spring cleaning” CV tips to help ensure that you will be a strong contender when your CV is reviewed by a recruiter
- Keep it professional
It’s very important that your CV is made in a professional format. This will build up a good impression on the recruiter, and it increases the chances of you getting hired
- Make sure you check your fonts
Inconsistent and unprofessional fonts are really difficult to look at. The worst fonts for your CV are usually quite obvious (hi, Comic Sans). If you’re not too sure of what fonts would be great for your CV, make sure you research some current samples. See our blog post 5 things to leave out of your CV if you need some guidance on other things that should be left out of your CV
- Boost your online presence (Hello, LinkedIn)
An active online presence speaks volumes to your potential employers. 43% of recruiters have screened candidates through social networks and search engines, and the number keeps going up. Include links to your personal website, blog and social pages. Just make sure that people who are searching for you online will like what they find
- Add your achievements
Never forget to keep updating your career achievements. It’s not unusual to find that a lot of applicants for any given job have similar skills, qualifications and experience. Creating a CV which is focused on tangible strengths as opposed to just listing duties will help to get your CV noticed and increase your chances of getting an interview
Remember, a lot of other candidates will be applying for the same career opportunity as you. Making sure your CV is properly updated will help your chances of getting noticed by a recruiter and called in for that interview you have been waiting for. We hope these tips guide you on how to update your CV accordingly
