How Do I Shorten My CV Without It Losing Its Value?

You’ve probably heard this before: keep your CV to two pages. And that doesn’t mean two pages with tiny fonts and no white space. But you’ve been working on it for hours and it’s still stuffed full. How can you shorten your CV so it doesn’t lose value but showcases your skills, talent, and suitability for the role? 

Less is more!

It’s helpful to realize that when it comes to writing your CV, less is more. Employers who sift through piles of CVs every day are turned off by dense volumes with long paragraphs and sentences.

Instead, they’re attracted to punchy detail with easy-to-grasp phrases. This also means that important details won’t be lost.

So, where can you begin with trimming the unnecessary details?

Cut out repetition

Your starting point is to cut out anything that is repetitive. This often happens when you’ve got a career history of similar positions. Focus on the most recent and don’t bother naming and repeating the same thing from years ago.

Use action words

Some words hold more power than others. You can use less and make a greater impact. Action words are energized. For example, you didn’t “write” a growth plan, you “designed” or “engineered” it.

Be specific

Ditch anything that’s vague. Instead add value and meaning with specific descriptors. For example; “Boosted sales revenue by 70% by employing new marketing techniques”.

Tailor it with keywords

The job description will guide you on this. You need to optimize your CV with keywords. Employers will be keen on seeing whether you have mentioned them. If they want detail oriented or someone who is a team player, ensure that it is indicated on your CV.

Use numbers over words wherever you can

Numbers are more powerful and provide evidence; using them in your CV will quantify your achievements. It means nothing to say you “exceeded targets”, but with “exceeded sales targets by 27%” you’ll suddenly garner attention. Add context where you can, explaining the problem before your action and its result. This is a great way of demonstrating the true strength of the change that you’ve brought about.

Get clever with your formatting

Use a clean font, such as Calibri, and keep it to size 11+. Use bold judiciously. Once you’re nearly finished, you can go back and rework sections to get rid of any spelling errors or poor sentence structures.

Know what matters to the employer

Are they looking for a leader? Do they want someone with good marketing skills? The reality is that there isn’t enough room on your CV for everything you want to put there. However, that’s okay because what you want to include isn’t the same as what the employer needs—and that’s the most important thing. Remember to consider what the hiring manager needs to hear to have enough interest in speaking to you directly.

Shortening your CV can be tough and time-consuming. It can be quite a brutal and difficult exercise.

Don’t do it alone. Work with a professional CV writing expert who will revamp it and make it attractive to potential employers.