Whether you are searching for recruitment advertising jobs, digital media sales jobs, or any job in the media sector, your CV is the window to you and your experience. It's what will make you stand out from the crowd at first glance and most people will look at a CV for only a matter of minutes before making a quick decision.
Keep it simple and keep it honest but try to think objectively from an employer's point of view and tailor your CV to suit each job you apply for, highlighting the areas of interest that you think are relevant to that employer and job.
Use relevant key words from the job description to make your skills stand out. A prospective employer will always look at what you can bring to their team/ company. If you have worked with sectors, clients or agencies directly add a list of clients and their industries to your CV, it will help build a picture of the level of clientele you can handle.
The good CV
- Do you know what you want to do? Can you sell yourself in 3 lines?
- A brief profile about you and your key strengths, which direction you see your career taking and how that would benefit a prospective employer.
- Follow on with your education most recent first e.g. Masters or Degree with grade obtained, and any relevant training courses
- Then your employment history, starting with your most recent first. It is vital your experience is laid out clearly highlighting your skills and duties in a concise format that is easy to read. Highlight your skills by adding any awards you may have won, key achievements or contributions that have lead to a positive outcome for the company.
How to stand out
Use bullet points to list your skills, duties and achievements. This breaks up the text and allows easier reading. Your CV is a sales tool so list features and benefits of your skills and experience.
- Your additional skills should follow detailing your computer literacy, programs you are competent with, any foreign languages you speak and to what level and any other information that will add value to a prospective employer's organisation.
- Lastly add your hobbies and interests. This helps build a picture about your personality and can also be a good talking point at interviews if you share common interests.
What to avoid in a CV
Don't:
- Leave any gaps - employers will always ask them to be explained before they would invite you to interview. If you have taken time out to go travelling then say so. Career breaks can always be turned into a positive asset.
- Include a photograph - This may be a negative rather than a positive, best to let your skills be judged on their own merit.
- Get too personal, remember, this is a business document.
- Irrelevant information - a CV should ideally be two pages, three at the absolute most.
- Make mistakes. ALWAYS check your CV and ideally have someone proof it for you before you send submit it anywhere.
For more information about writing a good CV or further career advice contact us.