What Is The Perfect CV?
During university, I was advised that ‘the perfect CV’ should be black and white, typed in the font ‘Times New Roman’ and structured in a very rigid format. Over the past month, I’ve had the opportunity to see countless brilliant CVs, which have made me see things very differently.
Whilst there’s nothing wrong with this traditional format, adding a more personal touch can really help recruiters and employers gain an insight into your personality. This could include an individual colour scheme, a creative layout, visuals depicting your skills and interests… the list goes on. Several people have even designed a logo for their name - which I think’s pretty cool. If you’d like to include a photo of yourself, that’s absolutely fine, but very much down to personal preference. Whilst some of these features might be deemed inappropriate for an accountant’s CV, they can really help you stand out from the crowd, particularly in roles where creativity is a key attribute. Ultimately, you’re marketing yourself and your experience, and the employer is your target audience. This is your first opportunity to showcase your work and what you’re capable of!
Alongside the visual elements, there are several features which make CVs stand out to me. Firstly, clearly state your key skills and keep it relevant to the role you’re applying for. If an employer sees at first glance that you have relevant skills and familiarity with any specialist software required, they’ll have to read on. It’s very important you have examples of these for your interview, as competency-based questions are very common.
Secondly, it’s great to include a couple of your top achievements from relevant roles. For example, ‘over a period of 6 months I organically grew the company’s Instagram following by 120%’. Such statements demonstrate that you’re highly competent, ambitious, and reinforce why you’re the best candidate for the job.
Ideally, it’s best to keep your CV to one or two pages – particularly at a junior level. There is really no need to include every job you’ve ever had or write about every responsibility you had in each role. I have seen plenty of single page CVs which include everything necessary, just written more concisely. Less is sometimes more!
Finally, a word about temporary work and internships. If a recruiter or employer sees that you’ve moved job every couple of months, this can be a major red flag. This kind of experience can be really valuable, but do make sure you clearly state the dates and nature of the role. This will prevent an employer or recruiter from making false assumptions.
To cut a long story short, there is no such thing as the perfect CV – particularly in more creative roles. Make sure you keep it concise, and clearly highlight your relevant experience and skills. Other than that, you have freedom to make it your own. Make your CV reflect your personality and create your own personal brand which employers won’t be able to resist!