How To Write A CV For High Impact

You spend days, weeks, maybe even months working on your CV, trying out different fonts and wording and getting it into perfect shape for your dream job. Then an employer looks at it for a few seconds and makes their decision.

Truth is, employers get thousands of applications every day. They really have no time to go through all the CVs and will only choose the best. This means that your CV really needs to make a high impact.

If the employer cannot find what they are looking for in your CV in a few seconds, you can be assured that your chances of going through to the interview stage are nil.

The secret is to impress the employer before they even meet you. How do you do that then?

How To Write A High Impact CV

1. The employer should see job-related information first

Every job has its own unique qualifications and requirements. Some jobs emphasize on the educational qualifications, some on the years of experience while other will be seeking a particular set of skills. Go through the job description and determine what the employer is looking for and let that be what they see first.

For instance, if you are applying for a communications jobs that emphasizes on expertise in SEO and keyword research, ensure that it’s the first thing the employer sees. You can do this by including it in your career objective.

2. Focus on the right keywords when writing the CV

Keywords are a particular set of phrases related to the industry. If you want to pass through to the interview stage the employer needs to see these keywords on your CV otherwise, you will just end up in the reject pile.

How do you determine which keywords to use?

Go back to the job description. There are particular sets of phrases and words that are repetitive. Those are your keywords.

For instance, if you are applying for an Office Clerk job, don’t just indicate that you worked as an Accountant. If there is that particular role you held as an Office Clerk make sure that is visible on your CV. Some employers also want someone who has worked in that particular industry.

If they want an Office Clerk with experience in FMCG, ensure that appears somewhere in your CV. If you don’t have the particular set of keywords the employer is looking for, then you are probably not the right candidate for the job.

3. Ensure that your CV format is presentable

Just like you go for the good things in life, so do employers. A CV that makes a high impact should feature a presentable format.

Don’t be one of those jobs seekers who use font 24 just because they want their CV to appear longer. If anything, this is a big turn off.

Put yourself in the employer’s shoes. Would you go through your CV if you were the employer? These are the critical questions you should ask yourself to determine if your CV makes a high impact.

4. Ensure that your achievements stand out

Before you apply for any job, think about the other people applying for the same, some even more qualified than you are.

Your achievements are what set you apart from the pack. You may be having a very good CV and have all the experience that an employer is looking for but if you haven’t highlighted your achievements, your CV becomes just another document in the lot.

Employers are interested in what you have achieved rather than what you have done. It doesn’t matter if you have been head of customer relations for two years, show the employer what you have accomplished in those two years.

5. Have a professional write your CV

Most jobs seekers are of the opinion that hiring a CV writer is a waste of time and money. However, this is far from the truth.

Professional CV writers will be able to write you a CV that is relevant to the job market. The days of sending generic CVs to every employer should be behind you.

Invest in a professional CV and move from unemployed to employed.