Polish your CV

A CV is your first chance to be heard. Although there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution to writing one, following some simple guidelines will dramatically improve your chances of standing out and securing an interview.

Focus on your competencies

The first thing to do when approaching your CV is to focus on competencies. Never lose sight of what potential employers are looking for. Match their technical and personal competency requirements and you’re off to a solid start. This means studying the job description and person specification carefully.

Writing a CV is your sales pitch to the employer and your personal statement is your opener. Use it to really stand out from the crowd. The personal statement should sit below your personal details.

It is crucial to keep your formatting consistent. Limit yourself to the most relevant work experience and list employers and job roles in reverse chronological order. The last 10 years is more than enough. You will need to include company name, address, job title and responsibilities.

If you have little experience, list any transferable skills gained whether through work experience or at university. Quantify your achievements where relevant and write in the first person.

Make sure you list all relevant skills and always include relevant terminology and any industry memberships as these may be picked up by software scanning for keywords.

You would usually be expected to include all higher and further education, if you have no formal qualifications, focus on your skills – for instance apprenticeship or traineeships.

It is always a good idea to include language skills and additional IT skills. As for referees, it is sufficient to mention that these are ‘available on request’.

Make sure you can explain all gaps in your employment history as these tend to set off alarm bells. While you don’t have to include reasons for leaving a job, you may be asked about this at interview.

Your CV needs be accompanied by a covering letter, which again must emphasise your skills in relation to the employer’s competencies.

Your cover letter is the first thing a recruiter will see, so it is essential that you introduce your CV and explain why you are perfect for the role in the best way possible.

Don’t forget to run a spell check and ensure the CV is clean of grammatical errors.

For more information visit Hays Construction.