Have you ever applied for a job only to find that your application falls short of the er, shortlist? Well it may be down to some simple yet common mistakes on your CV.
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Having an impressive CV or Resume doesn't mean getting creative with crazy fonts, including photos or 'other' ideas to get you noticed, it's simply a matter of being clear and concise.
Mel Flavell, has over 17 years experience in recruitment involving sifting through literally thousands of CV's.
From senior management to first applications, she's seen it all and not all of it is pretty.
She shared her top tips for a good CV to help increase your chances of success.
Spelling is vital
"This is a huge priority and yet so often it's over-looked. Use spell check and if need be get someone else to check your spelling for you - it's so important to get right."
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Keep it simple
"No pictures, black text and one simple font, preferably all justified to the left. Begin with your name and contact details at the top and check everything, you'd be amazed how many people put the wrong contact number on their CV then wonder why they are not successful."
Work backwards
"Start with your work history underneath your contact details and begin with your current or latest role. Depending on your age and tenure aim to go back no further than 10 years, however if you've had one role for say 12 years, then list the previous one too. For school leavers list any casual jobs, volunteering work or even when you mowed the neighbours lawn."
Devil in the detail
"Bullet points work well to list your responsibilities within a role, make sure they are detailed and clear. List everything you did and were accountable for, while providing a brief overview of the role or company can also help especially in complex organisations."
Other items to mention
"Education and achievements should follow the employment history and referees if you want - but only list people you directly reported to and don't bother to state 'available upon request' as that's a given. It's also not necessary to include your interests."
Three is the magic number
"Your CV should ideally be no more than three pages and for juniors one page is good. If your CV is pages and pages long, it won't get read. Keep it clear, concise and relevant."
And lastly
"Only write a cover letter if requested. It's unlikely to get read otherwise and often says nothing more than a good CV can."