subject: How To Get Your Cv Noticed [print this page] Jobs are hard to find at the moment, so you might find yourself applying for a ridiculous number of jobs before you land a role. Tailoring your CV and covering letter for each role and organisation is a great idea, and this article details some ways in which you can make your CV stand out and impress employers.
Use Good Paper
Print your CV on good quality paper. The quality of the paper shouldn't matter much, and expensive watermarked or decorative paper is too much, but a decent quality shows good decision making.
Don't Overdo Presentation
When it comes to word processing, keep it simple. You might want to show off your ability for computers, but employers don't really want to see colourful titles or images on a CV. Information should be presented as clearly as possible with simple headers. This is a business document and you don't need to spend time making it colourful or adding clip art, your focus should be on the content.
Proof Read
Always proof read your CV by hand. Computer spellcheckers are very handy for certain types of task, but nothing beats the human brain and a dictionary. Especially if the job you're applying for lists communication skills among its requirements, you should work to ensure that the document is as grammatically perfect as it possibly can be. See your CV as the first piece of work your potential employers will be judging you on.
Provide Contact Details and Personal Information
Your CV should contain your name, address, phone number and email address. Think twice before including a website URL or a link to your Facebook or MySpace profile, as you might not want your potential employers to look at all that information when deciding whether you are right for the position on offer. It may even be worth protecting some of this data as much of it can be found by simply searching your name!
Personal Profile
The personal profile is a concise summary of your skillset and experience, perhaps with some indication about future goals and aspirations (tailored for the job you are applying for).
Interests and Hobbies
This is not your opportunity to tell your employer how much you enjoy playing your xBox or torturing insects, this is your chance to tell your employers about the qualities you possess which make you perfect for the job, or hobbies and interests which demonstrate your are a well-rounded popular person who will blend into the office environment.
With the right amount of care and attention spent on your CV, you should find a job before long. Make sure you are saying the right things and continually re-write your CV for each position to which you apply.
