If you are looking at moving on from your role, and struggling to get your CV noticed, here are some simple tips to help you.
I am currently in a position of hiring for various roles and I thought it might be useful to share these tips as it is also the kind of thing I look for in CVs. That being said, we don’t hire in the usual way!! So, find what works for you!! You don’t need to do all these, but some of them for sure will help!
1) How long
Your CV should not be limited to one page, write it all and then cut it back to get to the point.
https://www.cv-library.ie/career-advice/cv/how-long-should-your-cv-be/
Think about someone who’s been in the industry for 20 years, that career span just isn’t going to make it on two pages. So give your text room to breathe on the page (but keep number 4. in mind!).
2) Who are you
Your CV is you .. we don’t know you, so your CV needs to speak to me as the hiring manager about who YOU are. If you worked in retail that means you know about customers and matching products to needs. If you have come out of university, tell the interviewer what you enjoyed (and didn’t like) from your course. Also include stuff you do on the sides. If you do labs/conferences etc. then tell them that. All of this will build keywords into your CV that will help when they lookup keywords. “I am aiming towards my CISSP” if you are. Be genuine, don’t fake it that way you will sound and feel more confident despite not being a 100% skill match!
3) Use templates that work
Writing CVs is one thing, making them stand out is a whole different ballgame completely! I have literally looked at some of the dullest CVs ever and although the person may be brilliant, if they cannot communicate with me then it probably isn’t going to work out. So use templates e.g. those from Canva.com to help your CV look better. You can then experiment with what looks good on a page – give the margins (left and right) some space to allow us to write on them. Try not to use 2 column view, as it really doesn’t work. Let your text breathe on the page. (I think in printing they talk about 1/3 white space – seems to look about right on a page).
4) So what?
You’ve climbed Kilimanjaro – so what! You’re in the Top 10 on such-and-such an online labs – so what! How does that relate to me and to the job you want to do? Cut the waffle – tell me the fact. Imagine someone saying “So What” at the end of each sentence. If your sentence doesn’t answer the So What then delete the sentence. It is a killer one, but it will really make your CV much more resilient to scrutiny.
5) Listen to those who hire people like you
OK, this is a cracker of a resource. An old friend Gary Chaplin is a head-hunter among other things, so is used to looking after high-end career hunters. That probably means he knows a thing or two about what CVs sell and what sucks. He has a brilliant blog for your CV right here:
https://garychaplin.com/2018/05/01/cv-tips-20-things-to-do-20-things-to-avoid/
6) Find friends and listen
Some groups of people already have pre-built networks. Use the groups you exist within e.g. TechVets etc. This will open up a community where you can speak to others similar to you who have gone through the same process. They may have unique tips that are tailored to your situation – e.g. veterans struggling to relate 6 years as a military analyst to a cyber security analyst.
Use your friend networks to find out who is hiring. has someone just landed a job that you know, find out what it’s like in that company. Find out if there are other roles going there – ask if they have a referral scheme too! Be careful what you wish for, never go back to an ex though!
7) Keywords and KeyPhrases
So, this tip is a bit of a beat-the-system tip. How do you get past those automated systems? The ones where there is no human behind the filter? Well – cheat. I know contentious, but … hear me out. They are going to look for keywords in your CV – qualifications, technologies and skills. So put them in your CV. Don’t imply something – state it. I am hoping to have my CISSP within the next 3 years. I am working towards a future career in an “insert role”. That way when the algorithm searches key phrases, your CV will keep appearing.
8) Socially aware
Be aware of your social footprint. Make it easy for interviewers to find your LinkedIn and Twitter profiles. Make sure they are up to date and match your CV. Also, check what your social media says about you – be careful of inappropriate content, this may block you from interviews if HR thinks you may cause them issues.
9) Who’s being interviewed
An interview is more than them digging into you, it is also about you learning about the company, the team and if it’ll work out for you. When you have an interview ask good questions – “What was it in my CV that you liked”, “I’m really interested in knowing more about the social side of the business and how you work things out with being remote”, “How would you use me if I was successful that would get the best out of me for this role”, “As I am always trying to learn to improve myself, would it be possible to get feedback post-interview even if I am successful?”. The company must work for you as much as you work for them.
10) Know what you are looking for
Before you go in, have a piece of paper with what you want from the role, the kinds of tasks you want to do, the wage you want to work for, minimum additional package (e.g. days holiday plus bank holidays, pension, healthcare – what else do they offer as standard?). Don’t push your luck too far! Ask the question, what wage bracket are you offering for this role. If you are not sure about the tasks they mention, it’s OK to not know. Ask the question, can I clarify what you mean by that in the context of your organisation.
I really hope some of those tips were useful for you. As I said at the top, you don’t have to use them all. Use one, use none, use all of them – find out what works for you. Most of all, good luck. if you don’t get the job, shrug it off. Ask for feedback (you might … might … get some) – pay attention to it. Use it, learn from it and apply it. You will get there. Sometimes you have to take a side-step or three but that’s OK, know your end goal, aim at it and march onwards towards it.
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