Get noticed: 4 CV hacks to help you land your next job!
We know that the job application process can be daunting, that’s why our talent acquisition team has put together 4 CV hacks to help you stand out from the crowd and convince your next employer that you’re the right fit for the job!
Your CV is your own personal marketing tool to get yourself noticed in today’s highly competitive job market. We added up the numbers and can proudly say our TA team consisting of 11 specialists have accumulated 80+ years of experience, ranging across multiple sectors and positions. It’s safe to say we have seen it all, the good, the bad and “Wow we need to hire this person!”. So with our wealth of knowledge, we’re here to share with you 4 CV hacks to get you noticed and land your next interview!
First things first, some quick housekeeping tips. These are small details to keep in mind as they can make a big impact and should not be overlooked:
🔷 Don’t overcomplicate the CV: Keep it simple at 2 pages maximum.
🔷 Humans are visual beings, so keep the formatting and fonts consistent.
🔷 Avoid repetition of information.
🔷 Start the job history section with your current role and work backwards from there.
🔷 If you’re experienced, keep the education section under your job history. In case you’re new to the world of employment, we’d recommend to position your education at the top of the CV, under your contact information.
🔷 As simple as it sounds: proofread, spellcheck, proofread, spellcheck. Repeat!
🔷 Save your resume in a PDF format, this will ensure your CV is a compact file size, multi dimensional and convenient across different operating systems.
🔷 Don’t use a downloaded LinkedIn profile as your CV. Put some time and effort into creating a CV that will radiate your personality and show interest in the position.
Now that we’ve covered the basics, you’re ready for the exciting part, the reason you clicked to read this article! Here are the 4 CV hacks to get you noticed:
Hack 1️⃣: Make your CV scannable
In the competitive job market, time is of the essence. After all, recruiters are notoriously short of time due to juggling multiple roles, dealing with competing priorities, and staying on top of stakeholder management. Some sources say the average time a recruiter spends reading a CV is 5–10 seconds — or less than the time it takes the kettle to boil — a remarkably short period of time to capture the attention of the reader. Not to mention having to make a decision whether to move the candidate to the next stage! Ensure your CV is easily scannable, with a clear structure and avoid big paragraphs. Instead, use bullet points to highlight your skills, experience, keywords and achievements.
Hack 2️⃣: Keep the information recent and relevant
Tailor your CV to showcase your most recent and relevant experience. It’s worth asking yourself if your first job waiting tables is relevant to the role you’re applying to now. If it isn’t, use the opportunity to showcase why your experience and skills are the best fit for this role. By following this hack you will be saving time for yourself and creating a simple, yet attention grabbing CV, which highlights you in the best light for the position you are applying for.
Hack 3️⃣: Talk about achievements, not responsibilities
Instead of writing about your responsibilities under the job history section, focus on your achievements and the impact that you have made. Don’t worry, we’ll talk in more detail about your daily responsibilities during the next stage — But the first step is to secure the first call! So, show the value you have brought using as much (concise) evidence as possible; using quantifiable figures where you can. What are the problems you’ve solved? How many customers did your work impact? What makes you unique? Show the recruiter reading your CV why they ought to be impressed by your achievements.
Hack 4️⃣: Make the job description work for you
“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade”. The job description is there to inform you about the position and what’s expected, so use this to your advantage. Take some time to analyze the job description and tailor your CV to use a similar language, keywords and how you talk about your experience, while still keeping it authentic to who you are. Personalizing your application is the most effective way to show to the recruiter why you would be the best match for the job.
Finding the perfect job can be challenging, but in the world of job hunting persistence breaks resistance. We hope these 4 CV hacks will help you to take your CV to the next level and kickstart the next step in your career.
Good luck with the job search and landing your next interview! 🙌
And guess what — We’re also hiring!
If you’re hungry to have a visible impact on the business and would like to join a data-driven company where growth and learning happen on the job, then check out our open positions here.
