The CV holy order of importance | CV Writers

No, it’s not a medieval religious sect, it’s a common sense protocol to building a powerful CV. The information should flow in order of importance. Get all the really important stuff on the top half of the front page (something we always make sure of at CV Writers). You have got to get the audience to engage with your CV quickly. Say something original and memorable about yourself in your professional profile. Make sure this is backed up by relevant achievements early on in your CV. All the least important information can be tucked away at the back.

By the time you’ve finished reading this sentence your application may be binned

If your CV doesn’t get your message across immediately the chances are it won’t get it across at all. Recruiters are busy people and when faced with a pile of CVs will spend literally seconds scan reading each one.  This has been borne out in research, most recently by Ladders.com, who found the average time spent reading a CV is just 6 seconds.  This may seem discourteous to job seekers who have spent days refining and polishing their CV – but the fact is you only have one short window of opportunity. The onus is on you to take it.

Getting past the first sift

This is where the least attention is paid yet the biggest decisions are made.  After the initial glance when your CV has hopefully been put in the ‘yes’ pile, the recruiter will come back and give it more consideration before deciding whether to call you for interview. You’ve got to make sure your credentials literally leap out of the page to prevent the recruiter making a big mistake and missing out on a potentially good candidate.

Easy navigation

Make it easy for the reader to navigate through the sections of your CV. Make sure you have a set of rules the reader can follow for headings and sub headings. Even more importantly the headings need to visibly stand out. You’d be surprised at how many CVs we see that have no headings at all, not surprising the information looks confused, possibly not the best first impression for a new employer.

So don’t give recruiters the opportunity to cast aside all that hard work. Make sure your CV has immediate impact and engages them right from the word go.