One of the most important aspects in any job search is having a well prepared and up to date CV. Without one you are immediately behind the rest of pack when it comes to putting your name forward for a position. Think of it as your calling card, in fact after reading a good CV a potential employer should already feel as if they know you and want to meet you in person. A successful CV paves the way for that all important first interview.
Many employers will not interview a person, no matter how good they are, if they appear to have not spent time and effort putting together an interesting and thorough CV. First impressions count in the job search field and if your CV contains spelling errors, lacks personality and looks like it took the best part of five minutes to produce then your chances of getting a foot in the door are virtually nil.
A successful CV needs to be eye catching, informative and, to a point, entertaining. With the number of people engaged in a job search increasing every month you have to pull out all the stops to make sure that yours is the one that a potential employer remembers. There are a few things you can do that will make this possible; areas to concentrate on and little tricks that will make you stand out from the crowd.
Job search is all about selling yourself. If you keep this in mind when designing a CV you will have a better chance of being noticed. You need to make the most of yourself, almost as if you were a product on a shelf. People buy things based on how they are packaged, you only have to see how popular Coke is in the cola market to understand this, make sure your CV stands out visually.
Choosing a good quality paper for your CV says you've taken care when printing the CV. Choose a medium weight paper that is either white or off white. Colored paper can often be overpowering so it is best to avoid it; you want to catch their attention not wrestle them to the ground!
The majority of CVs are written on a computer or electronic typewriter, do not write one by hand, no matter how neat you think you are. With this in mind it is worth considering what typeface to choose. There are thousands available but it is advisable to stick to something straightforward that can be clearly read. Helvetica and Times are best, there are also lots of similar fonts that are equally as good. Do not use the font that you liked from your favorite thrash metal band's latest CD, it might look good as a single line on the CD cover but it'll look horrible as a whole document.
Some people advise not to use color in a CV but I say if it's used well it can be very effective. In the job search market it can give you an edge. Limit its use to headings and titles and keep it to a single color that complements the black of the majority of the text; burgundy red or deep blue work well. Likewise do not overuse bold type, you want something that looks attractive.
Once you've worked out the design you need to look at the content. Be clear and concise in your choice of words. You do not have to go into too much detail, that is what you'll do in the interview. Make sure all dates, qualifications and other known facts are correct, double check if you have to, don't guess.
Finally include a few personal details. If you snowboard, mention it. The chances are it'll get mentioned in an interview and you'll be able to talk about something you know and display your personality on your terms.
Author Resource:-
Dominic Donaldson is an expert in the recruitment industry.
Find out more about Job Search and CV preperation.
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