5 ways to improve the quality of your CV

You spend around 18 years of your life, if not longer, in education; throughout this period, you learn and flourish. Yet after all of that hard work you are still not getting a job interview, does that sound familiar?

The examinations you stressed over for weeks suddenly become less significant when looking for a job. When it comes to a job application, no matter your SAT score, 11+ mark, GCSE (are they numbers now?!), A-level scores, or even university classification; if your CV is weak, your grades will not rescue you. Grades are insufficient on their own. Yes, they are necessary, and occupations will have minimal criteria (GCSE Maths or a 2.1 university degree, for example), but that is merely the MINIMUM prerequisite. If you look at a job and believe you will be hired as you have the necessary credentials and that your CV does not matter, you are mistaken.

The employer will review your CV to see if the minimum standards are met. They will not take the time to read it word for word initially since they need to decrease the applications that meet the minimum standards. If your CV is poorly presented, your ideal job might be gone instantly, which is why the five suggestions below to improve the quality of your CV are critical.

1) Summarise and shorten

CVs should be no more than two pages long. It might be discouraging to see decades of your work and training reduced into two pages. This rule, however, has a valid rationale. When an employer scans your CV, they must be able to notice your key attributes and credentials. They will not read about how you developed your teamwork skills on an epic expedition across the Sahara Desert. Keep the personal anecdotes for your cover letter and interview. You will have many opportunities to explain why you are the ideal candidate with the greatest mindset, but you must pique the employer's attention.

2) Proofread your CV

I will write an article regarding CV errors shortly, but this topic is important. Check your resume for mistakes. Read it again and again. You might have a first-class honours degree in

biochemistry and discovered a treatment for a disease, but if you put on your resume that you have good compuringg skills, you will not get hired. This demonstrates to the employer that you lack fundamental spelling and punctuation abilities and a lack of consideration for your job. Employers are unlikely to hire someone who does not make every effort to guarantee that their work is error-free. Get a friend or family member to read it since they may see a mistake you overlooked, or hire a proofreading service to read it. I have heard Panda Proof is okay...

3) Review regularly

It is critical to keep your CV up to date. Every new training course, credential, or attribute should be included in your CV. This can help increase your self-esteem in your present work or job hunt. Job searches can easily reduce your self-esteem and worth; recalling your talents and the work you have put in will hopefully provide you with the confidence boost you deserve.

4) Hire a professional

This is merely a suggestion. Professionals understand what employers want, how to format CVs, and how to cut and redefine them promptly. If your CV is outdated or if it is your first one, I would consider hiring a professional. If you wrote your CV ten or twenty years ago, the job market and CV criteria have shifted dramatically. There are even CV videos now! If this is your first CV, it may be rather intimidating, and a professional can assist you in navigating this route. That being said, CVs are not meant to be impossible to create; nonetheless, making them stand out and finalising them might require time and patience.

5) Be professional

Yes, you want your CV to stand out but do not overdo it. I once read a CV that included a knock-knock joke.

Knock- Knock. Who is there? David. David who? David, who you are going to hire.

I am not kidding; this was on a CV. Not only does it not display David's abilities, but it is also grammatically inaccurate, unprofessional, and not particularly humorous. Surprisingly, David had no success landing a job with this CV. Keeping your CV professional tells the employer how passionate you are about the job and that you can work professionally. You may joke and laugh at the interview stage if it is relevant or feels right. However, your CV is the first impression the employer will get of you, so avoid using slang terminology, inappropriate language, emojis (which occurs a lot), or jokes. Be professional and wait until you have finished your probation before cracking the dad jokes.

These are five ways to ensure your CV does not fall at the first hurdle. Do not be alarmed; if you follow these steps, you are on the right path to achieving your dream job (or money to survive this living crisis). Contact friends, family, teachers, or any professional you know for suggestions, advice, or assistance.

If not, remember that Panda Proof is here to support you; job hunting is stressful, but we can make it easier.