How to Make Your CV Sound More Impressive
Tailor the resume to the job., Break the resume into subsections., Prioritize key information.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Tailor the resume to the job.
One big mistake that people make in resumes and CVs is in not tailoring it to the job.Employers looks for signs that you understand what the position requires in the formatting of the document itself.
You should prepare a standard resume for most jobs in business, for example.
Universities, labs, and other academic employers will look for a different format, the academic CV.
For example, a business resume is often about one page long.
It is meant to summarize your skills and qualifications and to introduce you to an employer.
An academic CV on the other hand is comprehensive.
It is meant to provide all or most of your past education, experience, writing, and professional development.You should also tailor the resume to the job itself.
You can do this, firstly, by carefully reading the ad.
As you get ready to put together a resume, mark the skills that are mentioned with a pen.
Note anything – your qualifications, personal talents, experience – that you can link directly to these needs.
An employer should be able to see from the information you give and from your structure that you are a good “fit.” -
Step 2: Break the resume into subsections.
Resumes and CVs have an expected order.
Knowing this order, and following it, reassures an employer that you are competent and are aware of basic communication practices.
Usually, the order of a resume is as follows: header and personal information, education and qualifications, work experience, interests and goals, other skills, and references.In the header, make your name slightly larger than the other information.
Include below your name your current mailing address, telephone number, and the email address that you most frequently use.
Give education and work experience in a reverse chronological order.
That is, start with the most recent positions and work backwards.
For each job under work experience, employers will expect you to give the company’s name and location, your job title, dates (i.e. when you worked there), and three to four short lines describing your duties.The interests section is a chance for you to include extracurricular activities, volunteer work, or other community involvement.
Use this strategically if you can, particularly if you have outside experience relevant to the job at hand.
Skills can include things like languages, proficiency in computer programs, social media skills, or other training specific to the job.As always, an academic CV will be different.
Along with the usual header and education, work history will usually focus on teaching, research, and/or editing experience.
Depending on the job, employers may also want to see publications, a list of public lectures and presentations, and your grant history., How to prioritize depends in part on what sort of job you are applying for.
Usually, you will give the most space to your related work experience, then to qualifications.
Employers look very closely at these two categories.For example, if you are applying for a job as an accountant, you will want to highlight your education and bachelor’s degree in accountancy.
In your experience and qualifications sections, focus on your year-long internship with a tax firm and the fact that you have passed the professional certification exam.
In an academic CV, the format will again depend on the type of job.
If you are applying for a research-oriented position, for example, employers will want to know more about your publications, grant history, and research impact.
For a teaching-oriented position, they will want to know about you previous experience – where, what, when, and how successfully you have taught before. -
Step 3: Prioritize key information.
Detailed Guide
One big mistake that people make in resumes and CVs is in not tailoring it to the job.Employers looks for signs that you understand what the position requires in the formatting of the document itself.
You should prepare a standard resume for most jobs in business, for example.
Universities, labs, and other academic employers will look for a different format, the academic CV.
For example, a business resume is often about one page long.
It is meant to summarize your skills and qualifications and to introduce you to an employer.
An academic CV on the other hand is comprehensive.
It is meant to provide all or most of your past education, experience, writing, and professional development.You should also tailor the resume to the job itself.
You can do this, firstly, by carefully reading the ad.
As you get ready to put together a resume, mark the skills that are mentioned with a pen.
Note anything – your qualifications, personal talents, experience – that you can link directly to these needs.
An employer should be able to see from the information you give and from your structure that you are a good “fit.”
Resumes and CVs have an expected order.
Knowing this order, and following it, reassures an employer that you are competent and are aware of basic communication practices.
Usually, the order of a resume is as follows: header and personal information, education and qualifications, work experience, interests and goals, other skills, and references.In the header, make your name slightly larger than the other information.
Include below your name your current mailing address, telephone number, and the email address that you most frequently use.
Give education and work experience in a reverse chronological order.
That is, start with the most recent positions and work backwards.
For each job under work experience, employers will expect you to give the company’s name and location, your job title, dates (i.e. when you worked there), and three to four short lines describing your duties.The interests section is a chance for you to include extracurricular activities, volunteer work, or other community involvement.
Use this strategically if you can, particularly if you have outside experience relevant to the job at hand.
Skills can include things like languages, proficiency in computer programs, social media skills, or other training specific to the job.As always, an academic CV will be different.
Along with the usual header and education, work history will usually focus on teaching, research, and/or editing experience.
Depending on the job, employers may also want to see publications, a list of public lectures and presentations, and your grant history., How to prioritize depends in part on what sort of job you are applying for.
Usually, you will give the most space to your related work experience, then to qualifications.
Employers look very closely at these two categories.For example, if you are applying for a job as an accountant, you will want to highlight your education and bachelor’s degree in accountancy.
In your experience and qualifications sections, focus on your year-long internship with a tax firm and the fact that you have passed the professional certification exam.
In an academic CV, the format will again depend on the type of job.
If you are applying for a research-oriented position, for example, employers will want to know more about your publications, grant history, and research impact.
For a teaching-oriented position, they will want to know about you previous experience – where, what, when, and how successfully you have taught before.
About the Author
Andrea Thompson
Andrea Thompson is an experienced writer with over 1 years of expertise in advertising. Passionate about sharing practical knowledge, Andrea creates easy-to-follow guides that help readers achieve their goals.
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