How to write the perfect CV and win an interview invitation?

How to write the perfect CV? What is the purpose of your CV and why is it so important? We shall help you with practical tips and ideas which will help you. Let’s start from the beginning. What is a CV? This is an abbreviation of “Curriculum Vitae” which literally means “History of Life”. This is an important document that can help you get the job you want, get a better salary, a higher position, etc. Therefore, it should contain the best of your qualities and your history.

Why do you need to write the perfect CV?

The main purpose of your CV is to win you an interview invitation. Just think that there is a pile of 40-50 CVs on the employer’s desk and it is very likely that only 8-10 people will be invited for a job interview. You may be an excellent specialist with the right education, experience and skills, but if you do not put some effort into selling yourself, it is unlikely to be invited for an interview unless you are the only candidate. You have to understand that your self-presentation is the key to a successful job search. Think of your CV as an advertisement of yourself. If the employer likes what you want to sell to him, he will buy it. In other words, he will decide to invest time and meet with you to talk about the position and how you can work together. Bad CVs say nothing important about the person. The perfect CV demonstrates your value to the employer and should prove that you are the best candidate for the job. It is understandable that writing your first CV is a challenge but with a little help and competent advice you will know how to write the perfect CV.

How to write the perfect CV – the most important guidelines and practical tips

When you want to write the perfect CV you must follow certain rules. There are various CV formats and you have to select the format that is best for you. Each vacancy you apply for is different.

Rule 1 – Choose the format of your CV

A chronological CV is the most common format. You can choose it to list your skills. This is a good option when you want to point out your career growth and accent on your experience in a particular field. However, if you are applying for your first job, this may not be the best choice simply because you haven’t got a long and impressive career.

A functional CV is the right choice when you want to emphasize that you have achievements in specific areas, for example sales, marketing, advertising, design, programming, etc. However, this type of CV format does not allow you to demonstrate an extensive career development.

A target CV format is focused on a specific position and you can make a great impression if you are acquainted with the requirements of the position that you are applying for.

 

Rule 2 – Write a new CV every time you apply for a position

Many people use the same CV for different vacancies which is wrong. Before sending your CV to an employer, look at it and read it carefully. Is there anything that you need to add? Is there any useless information? Remember that this is the way you sell yourself, so make sure it shows your best!

Rule 3 – Make sure your CV is 1 page long

A long CV can be really boring and there is a chance that the employer will not read five pages of detailed information about your previous career steps. You can provide additional information when you are invited to an interview.

Rule 4 – Be specific

Being specific does not mean to provide the percentage of growth rates or the names of the clients of your previous employer. You can point out the number of new customers, for example.

Rule 5 – Be honest

There are people who are tempted to exaggerate or even make up facts and achievements. Do not do that.

Rule 6 – Appearance matters

You have to realize that the way your CV looks may affect your chances of reaching your primary goal – to invite you for an interview. Format the text with enough space between paragraphs. Make sure that there are no spelling, stylistic or purely typing mistakes.