CV Writing Tips

Here at Tru Talent we believe that you are far more than the experience and skill set you can fit within your CV, however, there is no denying that a great CV can open doors and get you that first interview to show how amazing you really are.

We caught up with our team of recruitment specialists to get the inside scoop on what really makes a great CV that’ll get you noticed. With over 20+ years combined experience in recruitment, our team have seen their fair share of fantastic CV’s and some not so great ones too. In this blog, we’ll look at the content, layout, where to put your CV and cover letters.

Creating a powerful and eye-catching CV is easier than you think. The key here is to avoid overcomplicating your layout and ensuring you have all the right information in the right places.

All prospective employers are interested in the information within your CV and not the font’s used or ‘jazzy’ layout (unless maybe you’re going for a design or creative role). Keeping it simple and easy to read is key. Remember that you are trying to tell your prospective employer a true story of who you are, your qualifications, skillsets, employment history and aspirations. Like any good story, your CV should have a clear introduction, an interesting middle and a memorable end.

Laying out your CV in the way stated below will help your potential employer access the information they are looking for easily and quickly without having to ‘search for it, this is essential when you could be one of many CV’s being reviewed.

The very first thing clearly laid out on your CV should be – Name / Address / Professional Contact email / Phone number.

You then want to give your prospective employer an insight into you as a person. Under the heading “Personal Profile”, write a paragraph that immediately captures the attention of your reader and entices them to find out more about you.

Next under the heading of “Qualifications / Skills”, add your job-specific skills and relevant qualifications attained and any training courses you have achieved. It is very important to also state the institutes where these were gained. All of the above is your clear introduction.

Following this, under the heading of “Employment History”, start by giving you’re most recent employment, the period of employment and your position within the organisation. E.g: Anonymous Ltd - April 2010 – April 2020 - General Manager. It is now very important that you bullet point your most important day to day tasks/ responsibilities. Use bullet points to do this as they make it very easy for a prospective employer to get a quick understanding of your experience and applied skillset. List all your previous employment in this manner. This is your interesting middle.

Next under the heading of “Summary” (this is optional) you want to reiterate your work ethic and why you would love to work for the said company as well as what you would be able to bring to your prospective employer. This is your memorable end.

To finish off, under the heading of “Interests / Hobbies”, outline a few of your favourite hobbies and interests, this gives your potential employer a slightly deeper insight into who you are and how you relax, unwind and recharge your batteries.  Keep this section brief.

Remember, the team are always here at Tru Talent to help and give advice on the job search process.