CV Tips
Even if you’ve reviewed thousands of CVs, somehow updating your own always feels 10 times harder. And working in recruitment or HR doesn’t make it any easier. If anything, it’s worse because you know exactly what good looks like, so the pressure’s even higher.
At the end of the day, your CV is your personal ad. You’ve got about 5-10 seconds to catch someone’s eye, so every word needs to earn its place. Put the work in now and future-you will thank you when it comes to interviews. Clear, structured examples on your CV means no more rambling your way through answers. To make life a bit easier, I’ve pulled together some tips and a handy template to get you started.
Clean, Clear, and Compelling
When it comes to tailoring the layout of a CV, I stick to a few straightforward rules:
- Two pages max. If you’re running over, you can probably trim it down with tighter editing. Focus on making it compelling — remove anything generic that doesn’t highlight your unique experience. ChatGPT can be great for inspiration, but don’t outsource selling you to AI.
- Keep it clean. Plenty of white space, no boxes. Flashy templates are tempting, but you can’t go wrong with a classic, simple design. If you want something more creative, tools like Canva or Teal can help — but only after you’ve nailed the content.
- Font matters. Stick with Calibri 11 and use minimal pops of colour to guide the reader’s eye. Use italics, bold, or all caps sparingly — and don’t shrink the font to squeeze everything in.
- Ditch the photo, logos, and proficiency graphs. A link to your LinkedIn profile does the job better.
- Nail your elevator pitch. 3-4 lines max to highlight your experience and show why you’re a strong fit. Think tech company comms — concise, data-backed, conversational. The goal is to hook the reader, so skip the generic fluff (“highly motivated, dynamic”) and instead answer key requirements straight from the job advert.
Focus on Achievements, Not Responsibilities
The biggest mistake? Copying bullet points straight from your job description. Your CV should be achievement-led and personal to you, not just a list of generic responsibilities. Assume most people will make that mistake, which makes this your chance to stand out.
Remember, you’ll have 45-60 minutes in an interview to dive into the details. Your bullet points should act as conversation starters, not a full script. Cut the day-to-day tasks that are expected in your role and use this space to show off your biggest achievements and the impact you’ve had. Aim for around five key accomplishments that really sell your experience, and wherever you can, add numbers to show you’re comfortable working with data. Be ruthless when editing. If it’s not impactful, cut it out.
Add Context for Clarity
Ask yourself whether the similarities in organisational structure and growth are crystal clear to the reviewer. If you’re not working for a well-known brand, add a line to briefly describe your company. Include details like who you report to and the size of the company, office, organisation, or region you support.
Focus on What Matters Most
Focus on detailed achievements for your most recent roles. Older experience is usually less relevant, so it’s fine to just list job titles and dates to save space.
Show Some Personality
Only include this section if your hobbies are actually worth talking about. It’s the last thing someone reads, so make it count. Everyone likes travelling and hanging out with friends. Share something that gives a little flavour of who you are or skip it altogether.
Proof, Polsih, Scend
The typo and formatting inconsistency here is intentional. You get the point :)