As seasoned professionals in the field, we at Avatar International understand the importance of presenting a powerful CV / Resume that showcases qualifications and credentials in a concise yet impactful manner.
Modern hiring practices dictate that in the first six seconds of reviewing a CV, decision-makers need to see evidence of your relevant experience, education, certifications, and skills, confirming you have the right credentials to apply for the role.
Many job seekers overlook the importance of using keywords and optimising their CV’s for applicant tracking systems (ATS) that many companies use to screen applications.
99.9% of CV’s we see – omit keywords such as “degree” or “certifications” that ATS systems may be screening for.
The executive summary provides a snapshot of your professional experience and achievements, while all your education and certifications are listed upfront as well.
This will encourage the Reader of your CV to turn to page 2 where they will look at Job Title | Company Name | Date; they will look at 3 or 4 of those and then they will look back up to the top of Page 2 where they will expect to see a mirror of the duties and experience, they are requiring for their vacant role.
Here you also need to explain the nature of your Employer’s business if it is not a recognisable name such as HSBC, IBM, Microsoft, etc.
Once they spot the keywords and technologies they are expecting to see, the decision to grant you an interview will follow; this decision is normally made within 2 minutes of the Reader opening your CV!
You only get ONE chance at getting an interview, and that is with your CV, the best is to get it right and not rush your application with a generic CV and no covering letter
With a few hours of effort, you can revamp your CV / Resume and increase your chances of getting hired. Here’s further tips to keep in mind / how to update your CV during bank holidays:
- Review Your Current CV – Before you start updating your CV, take time to review the one you already have. This will give you an idea of what needs changing or improving. Look for any outdated information or irrelevant skills that no longer apply to the job you’re currently seeking. We know this is a hard one, but minimise the experience irrelevant to your job search.
- Highlight Your Achievements – Your achievements are what set you apart from other candidates. Use the extra time during bank holidays to highlight them in your CV. Add any awards, certificates, or recognition that showcase your skills and accomplishments.
- Tailor Your CV – Every job is unique and so are each employer’s requirements for a suitable candidate. Make sure you tailor your CV according to each job description you apply for. Highlight the relevant skills and experience that match the requirements of the role in your covering letter.
- Use Active Voice – Using active voice in writing helps make sentences more concise and engaging to read. Avoid using passive voice as it can make sentences sound weak or unclear.
- Keep it Concise – Employers do not have much time to go through every detail in a candidate’s CV, so keep yours concise and easy to read by using bullet points instead of lengthy paragraphs.
- Lose the photo, colours, weird fonts, text blocks, graphics, and logo’s – they are not ATS-friendly!
- Write a stand-out customised Cover Letter. Your cover letter should complement your CV by providing additional details about why you’re the best candidate for the job, and why the job ticks all the right boxes for you.
By following these tips, you’ll be able to create an updated CV that will stand out from the competition! Need some help?
- Click here to download our CV template
- Click here to download our Guide on how to succeed at an interview
- Click here to download our Covering letter examples Remember Recruiters and Hiring Managers want to know what makes you stand out from the crowd, so focus on accomplishments, not just responsibilities.
- If you’d rather not do it on your own but require assistance from a CV / Resume Writing Professional click here to reach out to someone we can highly recommend.
