It is imperative in today’s market to ensure your CV stands out for the right reasons and tells recruiters and employers what makes you a great candidate for their positions.
The most important thing you need to remember is to think like the recruiter! If you can put yourself in the shoes of the person who is going to read your CV and cover letter, then you’ll be a step closer to telling them what they most need to know about you.
Even though Curriculum Vitae (CV) literally means ‘the course of my life’, your CV shouldn’t be the story of everything you’ve ever done and achieved. You need to make sure that what you put on there is what is most relevant to the employer reading it. That generally means that every position you apply for needs a slightly different version of your CV, depending on what skills and experience the recruiter has said they are looking for.
Often overlooked is the importance of an effective cover letter.
If your CV is like a skeleton – the bare bones or facts of what you’ve done – then the cover letter is the flesh on those bones, the muscles and ligaments that join the bones together, the motivation and experiences that give shape to the facts of your achievements. Adding that new layer of detail gives personality and individuality to your list of qualifications and work experience, and it’s what makes an application your application.
It’s important to remember that there is no perfect CV or cover letter. There’s only the one that’s the right combination of you and the position you want to apply for.
If you’d like further advice when preparing your CV and / or cover letter you can always get feedback from one of our recruiters on 0330 311 0080.

Explain what factors attract you to the employer but don’t just repeat information from their website. Dig deeper and wider, research news stories, marketing information, their social media feed, and show that you understand what they actually do.
Never leave the reader to ‘join up the dots’ and guess how everything you’ve done connects together.
Research the department and role so you know what you are talking about. They will be passionate about their service or project. You should demonstrate that you are too.
Be explicit when you make links. If you are talking about your problem-solving skills, specifically refer to them.
Use key words to show you have read the job description and thought about how your experience links to the criteria.

YOUR CAREER
IT ALL STARTS WITH YOUR CV
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