Writing a fabulous CV is one of the most difficult barriers we face while job hunting, as it's vital to make a lasting impression.
In my experience as a recruiter, when I or an employer is looking at your CV we'll be searching for specific information related to the requirements of the role. The more your CV matches the job description, the more likely you are to be invited for an interview.
What's more, if an employer is using AI software to screen CVs, this software will be automatically searching for these requirements.
It's so important to ensure your CV includes all the information necessary for the role you're applying for, and cut out all the bits that aren't. That's why we've put together 8 top tips and FAQs on everything you need in order to put together a top-tier CV!
Contents
4. Acknowledge gaps and career breaks
1 Name and contact details
Don’t forget to include your name and contact details. It’s my worst nightmare as a recruiter when I receive a CV from a fantastic candidate but don't have their contact details to get in touch.
Add your mobile number, email address, and a link to your LinkedIn profile, so that recruiters and hiring managers can reach you easily.
However, you don’t need to add in your exact home address. Just the town or county you live in may be relevant for your market.
I’d also suggest that you avoid adding in any personal information like your date of birth. If this information has no relevance to the role it isn't needed, and helps to prevent any unconscious bias in the selection process.
2 Opening statement/profile
An opening statement or profile is an introduction for the reader of your CV. This should be a brief overview of your career and skills, no more than a few lines. A standout statement can help the reader stay interested in your CV.
As a recruiter, I'm looking for experience in the job's given field or specialism as well as any related projects that you might have led. So, make sure the opening statement is relevant to the job that you’re applying for.
For example, if you’re looking for a Finance role but discuss your skills in HR it’s not going to make an impactful first impression. This is your chance to be specific on how you can meet the criteria of the job.
Also, be sure that you don’t say you're looking for a Business Analyst role when you're applying for a customer service role. It would indicate to me that you aren’t going to stick around if you found a role as a Business Analyst.
3 Employment history
The main headings you need under your employment history are:
- Organisation name
- Job title
- Month, Year - Month, Year (or present)
Including the month is particularly important to ensure the person reading your CV has a completely accurate picture of how long you have worked in your role.
Employment information I look for when I'm reading a CV:
- Put the most recent employment first - Don't forget to include where you're working right now, your job title, and the months and years you've been in the role.
- Be honest! - If you’ve only been there for three months, then say so. I have seen candidates who have embellished the truth lose their jobs after employers have completed reference checks and found mismatches in information.
- Don't presume the reader understands your role inside out - As a recruiter I can't assume what skills and experience you have from your job title. If I'm looking for particular skills for this role and they aren't included on your CV, I won't know you have them! Organisations have different ways of working, so be specific.
- Highlight key responsibilities and projects - We love to see how projects you've worked on have helped your previous organisations. For example, if you have made a positive impact through improving processes or saving money, make sure to shout about it!
4 Acknowledge gaps and career breaks
There could be many reasons why there is a gap in your employment history: e.g. maternity or paternity leave, being made redundant, health issues etc.
As a recruiter working on a role in 2023, if I see a CV and the last job is from 2021 then I will likely think that this CV isn’t up to date.
Don’t hide it and be confident to talk about it. You don’t need to go into specific details, but it helps to give a brief explanation.
If you have been looking for work in that time, we completely understand the difficulty that can come with a job search. If you state that you have been looking for work or have taken a career break, this will make it clear.
When we send CVs to employers they will ask us to address any gaps. This is particularly important in a safeguarded role such as social care or teaching. Addressing gaps in your CV will save time as you may be asked about any gaps further down the line anyway.
5 Key skills
There are two types of skills I may look for in a CV when looking for candidates.
Hard skills relate to a specific field and require specific knowledge. For example language skills, degrees or certificates, computer skills, or typing speed.
Soft skills are skills that we develop, such as communication, leadership and problem solving.
Employers may be looking for specific skills when filling a vacancy. If a role requires the post-holder to speak French, then I will be looking for mentions of French in the CV!
It can be daunting to think about all the skills you have.
My advice is to start by adding any systems you can use, or consider any awards or achievements you have received in post. These tend to be great hard skills.
You can also think about the soft skills you use in your day to day role, such as communicating or working with your team.
6 Qualifications/education
The length of your Qualifications section should be determined by how much industry experience you have built up already. If you have a high level of experience in your industry, employers don't need to know about all of your GCSEs.
If the qualification or education is relevant to the role, the key pieces of information this section should include are:
- Where you studied
- Month and years of study
- The type of qualification
- Your grades (or predicted grades)
What's more, if you’re at the start of your career, you can also include completed modules and examples of high-grade coursework.
7 Hobbies and interests
This section isn't as necessary as the above sections. Don’t feel like you need to add any hobbies here, unless they are relevant to a specific role. For example, you may want to mention a sports club membership if you're applying for a sports role.
This ensures you have the optimum space to discuss the information that's relevant to the job you're applying for!
8 Quick hints and tips
- What does your day to day look like?
Wondering about what to include your employment history? Think about what a typical day in your current role looks like. This can help you to decide which skills to include in your CV.
- Include numbers and statistics, like savings and budgets.
Being specific with numbers can help to signal your relevance to the role. For example, if you work in Finance, an employer may be looking for someone who has previously managed a £10 million budget - and if you can demonstrate you have this kind of experience you may be more likely to be shortlisted.
- Shout about your achievements.
- Show evidence of your experience.
Show proof of the experience you have in your roles. If you've achieved any awards, promotions in your role, or commendations, don't forget to include them!
CV FAQs
1. Should I include GCSEs on my CV?
If your GCSEs are your most recent qualifications, as you have just left school, then you should add them to your CV.
However, if you did your GCSEs a long time ago and you have further qualifications then you don’t need to include them. If you have any relevant for the role then add in the specific GCSEs you need.
2. What is CV parsing?
CV parsing is technology that automatically pulls information out of your CV to allow managers and recruiters to view it in a certain way. It can focus on elements such as skills, work history, education, achievements, and contact details.
Technology like this saves organisations time from having to manually process job applications so they can streamline their processes. Make sure you pay attention to the job advert and look for any keywords that apply to you and include them in your CV.
3. Do you need references on a CV?
Unless the role requires you to provide references then you don’t need to include them on your CV. If there are specific instructions on the job advert that you should include them then add them, however sometimes adding references can take up much needed space on your CV.
If you’re adding reference details, please make sure the referees that you’re including are aware that you have provided their details. Always ask for consent.
4. Lying on a CV?
Never lie on your CV. It will “all come out in the wash in the end” as my mother would say.
I once hired someone who had extended the length of time they worked at a place in their CV. They started working with me, then after reference checks it transpired that they didn’t work at the previous organisation for as long as they stated.
Unfortunately, we had to let this employee go. I told them that if they had been honest then I probably would have hired them, but I cannot work with someone who is dishonest.
5. Should I include a photo on my CV?
No, you don’t need to include a photo on your CV. This has no relevance to your skills and achievements. As I said above regarding personal details, this will also help to prevent unconscious bias.
6. CV vs covering letter
A CV (Curriculum Vitae) is a document that relates to your work history, usually in a bullet point format, highlighting your skills and achievements with your contact details. On the other hand, a covering letter or supporting statement is an explanation of how you meet the criteria set out in an advert, job description or person specification.
A covering letter will go into more detail than a CV about how you have dealt with a certain part of the prerequisites for the role. If you're stuck on how to write a covering letter, check out this STAR interview answer technique as a starting point.
7. How to add volunteer work on my CV?
Including volunteering information on your CV can really highlight your transferable skills. It’s best to include the name of the organisation, how long you have been in post, and the details of what your volunteering role has entailed. You should include this in your work experience section if it’s relevant to the jobs you’re applying for.
