WRITING A CV – TIPS FROM A RECRUITER
Writing a CV may seem like a simple process. Update your contact details, add your latest jobs, and send, right? In this article, we reveal what hiring managers are really looking for, how to format your CV, and how to prep for interviews so that you stand the best chance of landing that job.
In this article we’ll cover:
Is your CV currently up to scratch?
Grammar is key – find out the must-have free tool to perfect your grammar
Don’t be shy – note down your past experiences and lessons learnt
Social Media – Are you showing your best self online?
Recruitment is a two-way street – how to get discovered by potential employers
Watch out for simple errors – these could result in an employer not being able to reach you or thinking that you are outside of their area
Do your research – Find out the name of the person who is conducting the interview
Conclusion – see how Platinum Recruitment can help you land your ideal job
Read on to discover our Recruiter’s top CV writing tips just for you.
WRITING A CV – ARE YOU UP TO SCRATCH?
Writing a CV is easy but writing one that lands you an interview is another matter. Did you know hiring managers spend only 6-8 seconds looking at a CV? If they don’t see the information they’re looking for or like the format of your CV, you could end up in the ‘No’ pile in under 10 seconds.
Then consider the time it takes someone to look for the right job. Millennials will spend 46 months applying for jobs throughout their lives. That’s 21 months less than Baby Boomers. So, how do we find that perfect job quicker and how do we stand out from the crowd and secure an initial interview?
Nicky Marx, Manager of the Platinum Elite Chef division, and Stephen Toevs, director of culinary development for Marriott International recently held a seminar for the San Pellegrino Young Chef Academy. In the workshop, Nicky offered advice to budding young chefs on the techniques and methods she recommends when writing a cv. You can read the seminar synopsis here.
Read on as Nicky talks us through her top six CV writing tips to help you capture the attention of potential recruiters and employers alike.
CV WRITING TIP 1 – GRAMMAR
When it comes to landing your dream job and beating the competition, first impressions count. Before a business can decide to invite you for an interview, they must get a feel for your capabilities, your personality, and your work ethic amongst other factors. And they must do this from a document called a curriculum vitae.
When it comes to writing a CV, grammar comes first. Use free writing tools such as Grammarly to help with spelling, grammar, tone, and the formality of your CV. Again, be conscious of what type of language you use, and tailor it towards each establishment you are applying for. For example, a small independent family-run Gastropub pushing for accolades may appreciate a slightly more relaxed style CV whereas a luxury 5 Red star hotel in London will prefer more formally written CVs.
Find out how Grammarly can help you.
TIP 2 – PUT YOUR BEST JOB FORWARD
The CV is your chance to highlight all the amazing places you’ve previously worked, the experiences you gained in that role and what lessons you took away from each assignment. Nicky says: “The key is to keep it clear and accurate. Highlight key places where you’ve worked as well as any training or courses to show that you are invested in your development.”
Check out Platinum’s Meet the Team page to see how our recruiters wrote stand-out bios for the Platinum website.
TIP 3 – WRITING A CV & SOCIAL MEDIA
Let’s be honest, we may not all want to play the social media game but one thing’s certain, your employers and their hiring team are online. Increase your chances of securing that first-stage interview by creating or updating your social profiles before submitting a job application.
Consider your profile images carefully. An image of you sinking that 10th shot in Zante over the summer may not match the image of the “responsible, yoga-loving financial officer” you made out you were on your CV.
TIP 4 – HELP EMPLOYERS FIND YOU
Candidates often forget that employment is a two-way street. Whilst you are busy looking for your ideal job, employers are also looking for their ideal candidate. These days, online job boards allow you to upload your CV and usually ask if you would like to be discovered by potential employers. If you choose ‘yes, share my CV’ prospective employers can use job boards to look for CVs. They do this by using search terms such as “Pastry Chef, London”, “Hotel Manager”, or “Opera” to find CVs with these keywords in them.
When writing a CV, include keywords in your CV that are specific to the role that you’re applying for or looking for. This will ensure that you turn up in the right employers’ searches and increase your chances of landing your next job.
Try free tools such as Moz to see what relevant keywords are popular.
TIP 5 – CHECK YOUR CV WRITING
Nicky stresses the importance of including up-to-date contact details; a surprisingly common mistake. An old email address, a previous address, a missed digit in your contact number… all these things could result in an employer either not being able to reach you or thinking that you are outside of their geo-location.
Nicky says “After writing a cv, it is a good idea to ask a friend or family member to read through the CV for you. Often a new pair of eyes will find spelling mistakes or formatting issues that we have overlooked.”
TIP 6 – DO YOUR RESEARCH
If you are applying directly to a company, find the name of the person conducting the interview. Ring the company and ask for the contact’s name or look them up on the internet/social media. LinkedIn is a great source of information for business connections. Personalising your application email or letter shows you are attentive and serious about the job.
“Beware,” Nicky says. “LinkedIn contacts can see who has visited their profile. Be sure your profile is up-to-date before researching employers or employees on this platform.”
Why not follow Platinum’s LinkedIn page for more recruitment tips and job offers?
WRITING A CV – CONCLUSION
As we have discussed, hiring managers spend only 6-8 seconds looking at a CV. Therefore, it’s important that you make sure your CV stands out from the crowd. Check for grammar and spelling mistakes, highlight your key experiences and don’t forget to update your social media profiles.
We hope these top 6 tips for writing a CV help you to create a CV that helps you stand out from the crowd. If you need help with your CV writing or finding a job, get in contact with the team today.
Sources: StandOut CV – Job Search Statistics in the UK
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