When you apply for a job, you are usually asked to send a CV
or resume. This is a history of your education and work
experience. Here are 7 tips for CVs and resumes in English:
Tip 1: Use design that demands attention
Employers don't have time to read through each of your job
descriptions to know if you have the skills they need. The
design of your CV must do it for them. Your CV should be
concise, well-organised and relevant. It should emphasise
the most important and relevant points about your
experience, skills and education.
Tip 2: Use 'power words'
To control the image that an employer has of you, use power
words that match the position you want. Certain words are
used frequently by recruiters in their job descriptions. You
should study recruiters' advertisements and job descriptions
and use these words in your CV and covering letter.
Tip 3: A number is worth 1,000 words
Numbers are alive and powerful. They create images in our
minds. General statements are easy to ignore. Be specific!
Use numbers when describing your duties and achievements.
Tip 4: Put important information first
List important information at the beginning of your job
descriptions. Put statements in your CV in order of
importance, impressiveness and relevance to the job.
Tip 5: Sell benefits, not skills
Holiday companies don't sell holidays. They sell relaxation,
adventure, sun, sea and sand (the benefits of a holiday).
You should not sell your skills (many other people have the
same skills). You should sell the benefits of your skills.
When you write your skills and past duties, you can explain
their benefits to the employer.
Tip 6: Solve the employer's (hidden) needs
Employers want people who can solve problems, not create
them! Your CV and cover letter should show how you can solve
the employer's problems and needs.
Tip 7: Target the job
You will have more success if you adjust your CV and cover
letter for the specific skills an employer is seeking. This
means that you would write one CV for one particular job and
a different, modified, CV for another job.
