The Do’s and Don’ts of CV making
Cardinal rules that should be followed to make a CV that leaves a lasting impression.
A well-made CV is vital in order to make a good impression on potential employers or even headhunters. While looking to apply for a new job, it remains key to communicate clearly to the viewers.Despite having a list of achievements and an established career, a CV must be systematic and well organized. It should be able to portray one’s image in the best way possible in order to successfully market oneself to the viewer.
A CV being a self-marketing tool should be carefully regimented in a manner to let the viewer know that you are a perfect fit for the job. Though there are various ways of making a CV, there are a few cardinal rules to be followed while doing so. Follow these rules and you will have a strong CV that will impress anyone.
Key rule
Do make sure your CV is simple and comprehensible. It is then, that it will be able to create an impression in the first go. As most professionals are short on time, they should be able to deduce from one look that they should consider you for the position.
Make sure that you don’t exaggerate or fabricate your CV in order to get the job. As all professionals will ask you to substantiate everything you have put down in the CV, you wont be able to hide the truth.
Layout
Do make your CV short and concise. As aforementioned, the ones reading will be short on time and in order to impress them, your CV must be concise. Ideally, a CV should not exceed two pages as long as it covers all the important details. One page may be too short, but two pages should be the ideal limit to grab the reader’s attention.
Do make a rough layout before putting in all your information. This will make it easier to organize all the matter. Make sure to follow a reverse chronological order, starting with the current job and moving backwards from there. The layout of the CV can be structured in the following manner:
• Starting with the name and personal details, such as date of birth, email-ID, contact number and Linkedin profile.
• Followed by the current job with details of the job profile and the time spent there.
• Any job before the current one will follow, or else any part time experience such as internships or freelance work
• Next, add a brief description of your educational qualifications with the year clearly stated.
• Followed by a concise section stating your skills and competencies.
• Next, adding any projects you have worked on as well as any voluntary activities
• This section can be followed by achievements ranging from any kind of competitions or sporting events you have won
• The last section can be a short description of your personal interests and hobbies
Don’t use unnecessary flowery adjectives while talking about your achievements and interests. Keep the language simple and easy to understand. Jargons and acronyms should also be avoided. The CV should be an easy and quick read.
Do make sure to use a font that is easily legible and consistent throughout the document. Underline or use a bold font to highlight the headings and the names of organizations being mentioned.
Don’t reduce the font size or the margin to squeeze in more information. This will only make it look more cramped, instead add another page if required.
Do make sure the entire document looks the same throughout and is following the same format to maintain consistency.
Information and details
Make sure that you do include important details pertaining to your job or internship. This will help the reader identify whether you can handle the job they are offering. These details should include all job responsibilities and any special project within the job you may have worked on. Don’t include skills that are already expected of you, such as ‘proficient at using Microsoft Word’. These skills are so standard that they need not be mentioned on a CV anymore.
Make sure you don’t add unnecessary articles, or testimonials as proof of your work. Keep these handy and only produce them when asked. Do write about all your experiences in a positive manner. Avoid using negative words to describe job experiences. Identify what you have learnt from the experience and the skills it helped you develop. This will create a positive image in the mind of the reader.
A thorough session of proofreading is a must
Make sure that once you’re done with the CV that you read it thoroughly. This will help prevent any grammatical errors. Make sure you don’t have any spelling errors. This can be a huge con for the reader. In order to be sure of avoiding errors, request someone else to go through the CV as well. Make sure you do get a second opinion and ask for suggestions and feedback. A fresh set of eyes may see something you’re unable to notice and help in improving your CV. A CV is a reflection of you and your achievements till date; it must be able to do justice to all your effort. Thus, keep the abovementioned points in mind and make a CV that is able to create a memorable impression on the reader.