Enhancing your CV is the first step towards getting that interview with a recruiter, future boss or hiring manager, and if you want to seal the deal and finally get your career in the right direction then you will need to write a good one. Making improvements doesn’t need to take too long and the impact on your job search will make all the effort and time spent worth it. So before you click send on the next job application, here are 5 ways to enhance your CV.

Keeping your format simple and easy to read can make you stand out from the sea of competitors using fancy word jargons, complicated layouts and too many graphics. Aim to provide personal information and work experience succinctly. Opting for fancy fonts and unnecessary layouts can do more harm than good. Think ‘less is more’ but make sure that there is quality and substance within the information you’re providing. Hiring managers are usually busy going through countless applications, so it’s best not to make their job harder than it already is. 

A wordy packed CV with an overwhelming amount of text will mean that some aspects of your achievements will get lost, or even worse, the hiring manager will skim-read through it and switch off. Always cut out any fillers and too many descriptive words. Highlight your main tangible accomplishments. Use facts and figures as much as you can and back them up with experience. How much revenue did you bring in? What successful projects did you work on? Outlining achievements makes it much easier for future employers to see your worth, fit and personality.

Tailoring your CV for each new job is crucial and could make all the difference. Before doing so, make sure you have read the job description and researched the company. Then revise your CV by focusing on relevant work and accomplishments. If you feel that you may be lacking some of the criteria but still feel capable of the role then refer to transferable skills, sports activities, or any life experiences to fill the gap. Most candidates often overlook these, but many hiring managers are interested in diverse backgrounds, so don’t hesitate to include them. 

After all the effort and time you’ve put in to enhance your CV, it’s easy to rush the proofreading process at the end of the day. This leads to not spotting mistakes and leaving in incorrect grammar. No matter how much of a great and conscientious writer you are, always ask a second party to go through your CV, whether it’s a close friend, family member or a trusted colleague. Ideally two people as their input and opinions are insightful and helpful. Most importantly, you won’t lose out on a job because of a small spelling mistake or a misplaced comma.

Whether you’re a recent graduate or currently unemployed, adding a section for ongoing training can help fill unemployment time gaps and reassure employers that you’re staying proactive by doing continuous learning, such as taking part in online courses or doing freelance work. Personal projects and voluntary jobs can also work in this section as long as they’re relevant and transferable to your career goals.

Careers in Design offer a unique service tailored to your career objectives and fields of interest ranging from interior, product and furniture design, showroom, sales, project management, graduate jobs and many more. We offer years of experience and guidance to clients and individual candidates. All CV submissions are checked by our professional team instead of computer algorithms, ensuring your CV is thoroughly considered so that we can match your resume to your ideal position. Join our website and register your CV with us today.