When writing your CV for the first time, it can seem like a daunting and cumbersome task, as you try to define what important elements should be included and how to make them stand out better. However, in order to do that, one must make sure they are not making simple mistakes that will put automatically put your CV at the back of the queue.
Signs you are underselling yourself
One vital paragraph when writing a CV are the skills that you put forward that will be scanned through any Application system and immediately identify your credibility for the firm. If a skills set paragraph is missing this would be a massive disadvantage to your chances. Thankfully, when using a well established CV Builder, such simple mistakes cannot be made.
Furthemore, whilst elaborating on your skills is important as it will give the recruiter a better understanding of your personal skills, it is of no harm to slightly overstate yourself when describing and explaining these skills. It is important to remember that you are trying to sell yourself to get a job and no one ever made a deal by sabotaging themselves! However, this doesn’t mean that an individual should go on and lie on their CV as that would be a breach of trust and integrity but simply be proud of your achievements and make that feeling come through clearly on your CV.
Forgetting the finer details
Additionally, listing the numerous job roles you have held in the past is a normal procedure when making a CV. The mistake most candidates make is describing the job role and the day to day activities that were performed doing that job instead of putting forward the achievements and skills acquired by doing a certain job or role. This is extremely important as recruiters don’t need to be reminded of a job role as they hand them out everyday, they want to see what you have learned and the manner in which you have learned new skills that could be used for the benefit of their firm.
Once the CV has been completed and proofread, a candidate must not forget to attach a Cover Letter to go alongside the CV. The purpose of this is to show why the specific company to which you are applying is of interest to you and how you could improve it by joining the team. A good cover letter can go a long way to rescuing a poorly structured CV but will never be sufficient on its own.