Gemma Rawlings, who heads up graduate recruitment here at Park gives us some hints and tips about how to make your CV stand out from the crowd!
A CV (Curriculum Vitae) is a ‘story of your life’. It’s a summary of your academic and work history and achievements. In essence your CV is a sales pitch – a powerful marketing tool that should be carefully crafted to 'sell' your skills and experiences to a potential employer. With competition in the graduate job market high you will have just 30 seconds to impress the recruiter and secure that all important interview so you have to ensure that your CV is more appealing and attractive than the rest.
An employer is not only looking for what skills you possess, they want to know what kind of person you are – what makes you tick and how you will fit into their company. Your personal profile is therefore really important and should capture the reader’s interest and entice them to read on. Consisting of 50 to 80 words, and written in the third person (a more professional style), your personal profile should summarise your career status, progression, success and areas of expertise whilst also providing an insight into your workplace characteristics and reflecting a little of your personality.
Now you’ve got your personal profile, here’s some other helpful hints not to be forgotten…
Always type your CV and covering letter unless you are requested not to. Use your own words rather than formal long-winded clichés and always write your CV in the third person. Spell-check and then double-check your spelling and grammar. Print out the job description and keep it beside you when you write your CV. This will really help you stick to the requirements of the role. Sell your key skills but do not lie. Avoid any time gaps Avoid the witty email address that amuses you but may not amuse an employer e.g. hotlegs@… For further advice, please give us a call.