How to Write a Killer CV and Get That Job

Yes, recruiters see countless amounts of CVs in a day. That means two things. First, they know what to look for in a CV and can quickly recognize it. Second, they just do not have the capacity to spend 30 minutes on each CV, hoping to find something they did not see at first. Even if that would mean potentially missing out on a good candidate.

Before we get deeper into the topic, let me make a disclaimer here. If you have applied to a certain job opening with your CV, the recruiter is not “judging” you as a person. They are judging if you are a good match for the position.

That is a very important distinction. So if you hear back from them with a no, don’t take it personally. Either you are not a good fit, or your CV did not prove it. There could be also ‘internal reasons’ that we might get into in another article.

Let’s assume now, that you do match the requirements for the position you are applying to. How do you now make sure, the recruiter sees this from your CV?

Think Like a Recruiter

Set yourself a timer for three seconds and open your CV. What are the first things that grab your attention?

You are writing the CV for the recruiter, so the question you want to ask yourself is, “What does the recruiter want to see?” Lucky for you it’s usually written in the job description.

Here is a simple guide that will make your CV writing easier.

Start With Your Latest Experience

It’s a common mistake that people start their CVs from their first job. Your latest experience is the most relevant one. So it should also be the first experience the recruiter will see.

Use Keywords

What are the keywords that fit your desired position? These are words commonly used within your industry and also commonly used within job descriptions. Where to use these keywords? Literally everywhere. From the CV title to the titles of your past experience, job descriptions, and even the name of your CV file. You may benefit by doing this in more ways. Not only may these keywords be used by recruiters while searching on platforms, where you have uploaded your profile. But the recruiters’ eyeballs will also be drawn to them once they open your CV and they will immediately think, “Yes, that’s the one!”

Be Precise, Use Metrics

When writing your job description, it’s good to be specific and use numbers. The longer you keep the recruiter guessing if you are the right person, the more probably you will lose to someone who was clearer. You never know what exactly is going on inside the company, as many things are confidential and cannot be shared in a job description.

Therefore sharing real examples of your past experience can help the recruiters see that you are a match for their vision. How big was the team you’ve led? How many projects and of what size have you finished? How many articles have you published?

Keep It Simple

You might be thinking that you want to write on your CV EVERYTHING you have ever done because it can only help. The opposite is true. Filling up your CV with irrelevant details can be overwhelming and confusing.

So how do you ‘not hide’ information about your past experience without overwhelming the reader with too much information? Here is where your LinkedIn profile comes in handy! Your LinkedIn profile is the place for you to go full-on on describing your past experience. In your CV then you can write a little section from which you redirect the reader to your LinkedIn profile if they are interested in knowing more.

Example: “Abroad experience | 2018-2020 (details on my LinkedIn profile *insert the link to your profile*).”

Have you learned anything new? Stay tuned for the next article that will guide you through writing a winning cover letter.

Photo: everydayplus/Shutterstock

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