Five simple CV tips

As our fabulous Temps Controller, Marion Taylor looks through dozens of CVs every working day. She’s been working in recruitment for over 20 years and we’re sure nobody knows their way round a CV better. Here are five simple tips from Marion to help make your CV work for you.

Keep it short

We don’t necessarily agree with the “rule” that CVs must be no longer than two A4 pages long but we do think it’s best to be concise. Employers often have many CVs to work through and they don’t need your full life history. Include brief details of all your employment, a short personal statement and your qualifications. Use bullet points for key information.

Stick to plain language

We all want our CVs to be impressive but using unnecessarily complicated or flowery language isn’t the way to achieve it, particularly if you accidentally use an incorrect phrase or metaphor. Keep your sentences short and to the point and do not use jargon.

Be honest

This shouldn’t need saying but always be honest on your CV. It may be tempting to exaggerate a qualification or fudge employment dates to cover up a gap but please don’t do it. Experienced recruiters can often spot dishonesty on a CV immediately and even if you do get through the interview process you risk being sacked if later discovered.

Tailor it

We know that it takes time to alter your CV for every application but we really believe that this time is well spent. Think of it as an investment in your future and tweak your CV every time you send it out to make sure it is relevant to the job. 

And finally, read your CV, don’t rely on spellcheck!

Although spellcheck will pick up any obvious spelling mistakes remember it won’t necessarily spot mistakes such as using the wrong word – for example, using their instead of there or hear instead of here. Always read through your CV carefully before sending it off, or better still, ask someone to proofread it for you.