In today's labour market, it's increasingly difficult to get a job. There are many different people and blogs out there who will tell you that it's all about what you did on your gap year and how your handshake is perceived but this isn't the case. The big thing that will make you stand out from your rivals in the tussle for your dream job is your CV.
Looks are everything, on your CV anyways
Boring as it may sound, your CV is the document that all employers want to see and the interesting ones which make the cut will land the job. Employers see your CV before you so make your CV look as good as you do and this will go a long way with prospective employers. To ensure that yours stands out, you need to cover the following topics to ensure you've got it all.
Content
First and foremost, you need content. That means being thorough and yet concise because a 3-page CV will not get a look in, despite what you've written about this award or the amount of trophies you've won for your golfing talents. Aim for about 2 pages maximum. Giving a one page CV may be dangerous as there's a risk you don't communicate all you need to to show you're the right person for the job. To ensure that you're that right person, you need to show your relevance to the position and why you'd fit right in. You need to relate specific bits of what you've done in your education and experience to what they want in a prospective employee. You need to relate skills to requisites. Remember "skills for kills", get the skills covered and you'll knock 'em dead in the preliminary stages. Keep it relevant too; employers will want to hear about your recreational activities but don't go into too much depth. The main thing your CV needs to show is your enthusiasm and drive for what you do in all areas of your life.
Layout
A good layout is key to producing a great CV. A general note is to put the more professional components of what makes the worker you up the top of the sheet and the more informal stuff like what you enjoy doing at the bottom. There are many ways to layout the various parts of your CV and a more modern trend is to tie some of them together into a short, cogent personal statement-esque piece of writing at the top of your resume. This gives the reader a bit of context and a more holistic view when thinking about you as a potential candidate for the job. This could be useful in establishing a good image in the employer's mind and could give you the edge.
Another good pointer is to put your motivations or career objectives at the top to show the employer why you want the job in respect of the big picture you have in your mind. It lets the interviewer know where you're coming from and where you want to go and shows how you fit into the job.
Font
A simple but salient point. Comic sans won't cut it; it never has and it never will. Try something more professional like Verdana or Arial. This allows you to show your professional side and matches the font and your CV fodder with with the position you're fighting for.
With all that said and done, try these tips and see what works for you. It's also worth giving Google a go and looking for some professional templates but take them with a pinch of salt. Anything too stylised will be bad for business and you'll struggle with credibility.
