As a job seeker, your first way to catch any employer’s attention is to have an excellent CV. By that, I mean a CV that is straight to the point and truly impressive to the hiring employer. Your chance to be selected for an interview depends enormously on your CV. So, don’t let any mistake ruin your chances for your potential job and follow some the golden rules on how to write a winning CV.
The average time that a recruiter spends reading any CV is 7 seconds…Don’t be amazed! This is especially true when recruiters have hundreds of CVs to check out for any full-time or part-time job. To make sure that your CV is among the first selected ones, you need to master the below items that employers scan first when looking at a CV:
1. Objective statements are helpful:
An objective statement should highlight what the candidate would be adding to the new company and how they can help them in achieving their vision once they become part of the team. Objective statements can be two to three sentences long, but ideally not more than that. The statement should also be customized for each position the candidate applies for.
2. Personal details are essential:
Of course, without your basic information and contact details, your CV will get you nowhere. Your full name, email address and phone number as well as yournationality and address should always be present and clear.
3. Experience is why you are relevant:
And here is the most important part in the seven-second scan; in this section, employers are always looking at the company names you have recently worked for and the period of service for each position you’ve held. This is one of the first items on your CV that can attract hiring managers. What they would usually like to see is several years of professional experience that is relevant to the one you are applying for. This will signal to them that you have the relevant skills and experience. So, be sure that your CV includes what matters; that is, the company name, period of working there, and relevant job titles.
4. Key achievements are how you can add value:
This usually comes in the second stage of scanning, when you have passed the first 7 seconds. However, you’ll still need to get the hooks right to pass the first scan. The hiring manager will directly start looking in the selected CVs for the most relevant achievements and experience.
Achievements should be remarkable milestones or accomplishments that relate to your career and should always be mentioned in a way that is relevant to the company. Show, for example, how you increased profit, decreased cost, increased sales and market penetration, improved a particular ratio, led a measurable change, or developed a new system that helped in achieving the company’s objectives. It is very important here to write numbers, percentages and show the quantitative and qualitative results you achieved in your work experience.
5. Education is your ticket:
As part of the 7 second scan, employers will look at your education, the name of the institution you obtained your education from, the year of completion, the major of study, and the scores (if included). Always include the most relevant degrees and certifications for the job post you are applying for. If you have more than one degree, try to order them chronologically from the most recent to the oldest.
6. Overall shape matters:
Part of the recruiter’s job is selecting the best candidates out of hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of CVs. That is, by no means, an easy task, especially when the recruiter has multiple vacancies to fill at the same time. Hence, if the recruiter ends up looking at a very untidy, crammed and unorganized CV, you can only imagine what they will do, right? They will definitely stop reading it and quickly close the window of your Word or PDF file!
To avoid this, try to have your CV displayed neatly in one or two pages and not more than that. Make the formatting simple and very well-structured. Using one color can help a lot, as can using a clear font, bullet points, and numbering wherever appropriate. In addition to that, including a personal, professional photo is nearly a must when applying for jobs nowadays.
7. References are the booster:
Always make sure to mention at least three references from your previous employers (or professors, if you are a fresh graduate). Recruiters expect from you to mention your previous line managers, clients and colleagues if there are any. You cannot mention relatives or friends at all!
In addition, reference contact details should have the following format: name of reference, organization they work in, job title, your professional relation to them, email address, and phone number.
I know how shocking it is to know that hiring employers spend an average of 7 seconds to review your CV. It may sound frustrating for many, especially if you feel that you are a very talented candidate and you deserve a chance to be interviewed by your dream employer! But what you can do is to keep on track with aforementioned rules to make sure every second counts and to make your dream come true!
Make it happen!
Dana Hasan
