One of the things you will need during a job search is a CV, as it serves as one of the ingredients to landing your dream job. You can only be sure of securing your dream job if your CV landed you an interview. But the question that will always cross my mind is how do I write a CV that stands out? Knowing How to write a CV can be challenging for job seekers, because they need something to impress the recruiter and land their dream job. A CV is a tool to sell yourself to your potential employer, and it has to stand out professionally.

It's important to remember that there is no stereotype structure for writing a CV. One guideline to keep in mind is that your CV should be able to highlight your qualifications for the position you're seeking for. This will help the HR manager or recruiter decide whether to schedule an interview with you.

Related post: What is the Difference Between Resume and CV?

What is the meaning of a CV?

While applying online, your top priority should be to ensure that your CV lands you that interview because this is typically the first material any hiring manager will read before you are contacted for an interview. A curriculum vitae also referred to as a CV, is a succinct summary of your academic background, work history, and skill set and is most frequently used in the hiring process.

The academic and the professional CV are the two different types of CVs we have. While the latter emphasizes professional experience, abilities, and accomplishments, the former is typically for applicants without prior work experience and concentrates on academic credentials and academic work. The ideal way to list either schooling or work experience is from most recent to oldest. It's crucial to continually modify your CV for employment industries and specific advertised job openings.

Related post: Full Meaning of CV

How long should a CV be?

A typical CV shouldn't be longer than two A4 pages. For instance, a fresh graduate or school dropout with little professional experience may just need to use one page of A4. Although it is less common, high-level positions, those with extensive experience, or those that have held numerous jobs over the past five to ten years may require a three-page CV. Depending on your background, some academic or medical CVs, for instance, maybe longer. While it's crucial to keep your CV brief, you shouldn't minimize your experience.

Just briefly summarize your education and experience to save space. Don't duplicate anything from your cover letter; instead, stick to pertinent details. Ask yourself if particular content sells you if you're having trouble editing your resume. If it doesn't, remove it. Delete it if it has no bearing on the position you're looking for, and sum up any information from 10 years ago.

Here are Different CV formats

Whenever you want to write a CV there are some formats you will need to follow and we will be checking them below.

Your Personal Information

Your identity, address, age (which is optional), phone number, and email are included in this area. Put them in a prominent place with readable fonts so that the HR manager or recruiter may quickly notice them. Make sure the details supplied are up to date. Never use any email that isn't your own. Stay away from adding your place of birth, your religion (unless otherwise stated in the job advertisement), and amateur email addresses. Examples include [email protected] and [email protected]. Keep it businesslike, for example, [email protected].

Your Work History

Describe your latest job role first. It's crucial to describe your position and accomplishments for each work role. Examples include:

2016 – Present: Hub for Jobs

Title of Job: Accounting Manager

Nigeria's top outlet for providing information about companies, salaries, and vacant positions.

Achievements:

• Grew their monthly income from N5 million to N10 million in just six months.
• Within the first year, I collaborated with the sales team to extend our products from Lagos to all 6 of Western Nigeria's states.
• Simultaneously won the "Salesman of the Year" award in November and December of 2001.

Pro tip: Constantly remember to adjust your work history to match the position you're applying for. It will make you more appealing to the employer.

Your Education

Always begin with the most current academic degree. This part should also include any professional certification that is pertinent to the position.

The University of Port Harcourt, for instance, 2013

B.A History and international relations

• Excellent interpersonal abilities and fluency in three different languages: Chinese, French, and Portuguese.
• Received the "Best Graduating Student" honor and graduated with a first-class grade of 4.56.

Tip: Unless you are a recent graduate with minimal work experience, it's not vital to present your elementary school leaving certificate if you have a degree from a reputable university. Professional certificates, affiliations/membership, training, and seminars are all included in this part; they may also be found as a sub-section beneath education.

Your Skills and Interests

This section needs to be brief and uncomplicated. Here, it's important to remember: Be careful not to use common words like creative, driven, team player, problem solver, and self-starter. Be more explicit about your passions instead. Substitute "I jog about 300 km every weekend" for "I run." This demonstrates your commitment and discipline.

Tip: Include hobbies that support the social responsibilities of the potential company.

References

Three referees are the usual requirement, while some organizations just want two. A CV is given more consideration the fewer pages it has. You wouldn't want to be disturbed by resumes that appear to be freebies as an employer. A two-page CV is ideal. Be direct, understandable, and persuasive.

Pro Tip: Never use a reference that you are not connected with and they do not know you will be using them as referees.

Some Tips on How to write a good CV

• Whenever possible, use active verbs. You may, for instance, use terms like "made," "analyzed," and "devised" to show that you have initiative.
• Your resume shouldn't contain any grammatical or spelling errors. Use a spell checker, and ask someone else to read it over.
• Do not use clichés like "team player," "hardworking," and "multitasker." Instead, give instances from everyday life to illustrate each of these abilities.
• Take a look at the company’s website, local press, and the job advert to make sure that your CV is targeted to the role and employer.
• Choose the type of CV that is best for you: chronological, skills-based, or academic. Check our sample CVs for additional details.
• Don't name your CV "Curriculum Vitae" at the top.
• Give your email address a professional-sounding name.
• Never make up the information for a resume or job application. You could face harsh repercussions in addition to exposing your dishonesty to a prospective employer. For instance, changing a 2:2 degree grade to a 2:1 is considered degree fraud and carries a potential prison sentence.
• Don't include your full address on your resume if you plan to submit it online since fraudsters might target you.
• Unless the company specifically requests a cover letter, you should always provide one. It will allow you to customize your job application. You can highlight a specific section of your resume, make a disability disclosure, or explain any gaps in your employment history. Learn how to write a strong cover letter.

Related post: How To Write CV In Nigeria

What Employers Watch For in your CV

According to a poll of employers, the following qualities were most desired. (Extracted from Eric Hilden's excellent 2010 Orange County Resume Survey)

• 45% - Prior professional experience
• 35% - skills and qualifications
• 25% - Simple to read
• 16% - Accomplishments
• 14% - spelling and grammar
• 9% - Education (this score would have been considerably higher if these recruiters were only recent graduates)
• 9% - Intangibles: uniqueness and a drive to succeed
• 3% - A clear goal
• 2% - New Keywords
• 1% - Names and numbers to call
• 1% - Individual experiences
• 1% - Computer knowledge

How to write a CV for job application without experience?

There are certain guidelines to adhere to whether you're producing a graduation CV or an executive resume. Therefore, don't be concerned if you have little to no experience. There is a clever method to land you a job.

• Identify resume-relevant keywords as in the job description. The keywords are repeated words and phrases that highlight a certain trait or qualification.
• Find a skill or qualification like that in your repertoire. This can involve doing something from taking on part-time work to participating in an internship or volunteering. Or from your academic years, such as leading a group for students, tutoring, or applicable interests and hobbies you developed.
• List your employability-enhancing soft and hard abilities. Think of any transferable skills you have acquired throughout your life, in other words.
• Include extra parts where you can earn points for participation, interest, and conversation.
• To convince your company that you are committed to the position and have given the application some thought, write an objective fact.

Why is the structure of your CV important?

Your resume would pass via a bot before it is ever placed on the desk of a recruiter. The applicant tracking system (ATS) is a bot that separates the pertinent CVs from the hundreds that the recruiter would have had to sort through on their own.

The ATS gathers all CVs and applications, compares them to the job advert, and then ranks the most qualified applicants based on "knock-out" questions from the applications and corresponding keywords from the CVs. The employer will then receive your CV; they won't meet you and are unlikely to hear from you, but they will view the one- or two-page CVs that have been accepted by the ATS.

Simply, you should write for both readers and the computer when you write. So, how can you overcome the ATS and grab your next chance?

The first important tip is to always revise your resume per each job description. Do not use a generic CV. This is crucial since the ATS screens CVs depending on the job's requirements. Your professional CV must be customized for each particular opportunity if you wish to get past the initial automated screening.

What techniques for CV writing should you use?

Use appropriate keywords associated with your industry and the position you're applying for - Specific aptitudes, competencies, specializations, and characteristics are listed as CV keywords and phrases by recruiters and hiring managers. Because most employers pre-scan submissions electronically using applicant tracking systems (ATS), which explicitly screen for terms and phrases linked to the position, keywords are crucial. 

Therefore, it's not always your fault that you don't get called back for interviews; instead, it could be that your CV isn't strong enough to make it past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and reach the recruiter.

How can the appropriate keywords be included in your CV?

When we say that you should tailor your resume per each job description, we don't imply that you need to create a fresh CV and cover letter for each application you make. Instead, you should make adjustments and decide which aspects of your professional history should be emphasized.

You must read each job description carefully if you want to properly suit it. Take JD, a marketing executive, as an example.

Accountable for the marketing strategies of the organization. Directs sales strategy and execution using market research and analysis. Creation of all marketing initiatives and promotional items. Inform senior management of sales and advertising results.

Job Requirements:

-         Develop ideas and tactics to publicize our business and attract relevant traffic to our main door.

-         Deploy effective marketing programs and take responsibility for their execution from conception to conclusion.

There are several keywords in this, so see how you may apply them to your CV below.

-         Strategists, formulate strategies

-         Initiator, researcher, and creator of skillfully crafted marketing plans, liable for the industry's promotional campaigns.

-         Senior executives are informed of marketing and sales results - Efficient Communication

Explore the employer's thoughts by reading between the lines. Ask yourself, "What are they seeking and how can I fit into such a position?” after reading any job description. ”. Don't let your impatience or the idea that "I want to be the first to apply" cause you to overlook these crucial details that could determine whether you win or lose. The recruiting manager will see your fit when you communicate on their terms. Additionally, you can browse the website of the organization to find more keywords that align with its mission and core values. Using these phrases will demonstrate that you are a strong fit for the organization, provided they align with your values.

Here are some suggestions for structuring your CV efficiently.

A chronological resume

For applicants with extensive, reliable experience in the industry. Working backward, begin with the most recent experience you have. You are welcome to briefly describe experiences that are unrelated to the job for which you are seeking.

A practical resume

For applicants who have had several gaps or career choices. You may wish to include your experience in chronological order rather than the most recent if you have gone through role transitions and gaps.

Remove the unnecessary details from your resume. When writing your resume, ask yourself, "If I were the recruiter, what details would I be interested in?" Many people still include a ton of useless information on their resumes in 2022.

Only data that will enable recruiters to assess your suitability for the position is required. Nobody likes to read a three-page CV that can be summarized in less than a page, so cut it down to just the essentials.

How to Make a Cover Letter

After you have learnt how to write a CV, the next thing is your cover letter. You must now get ready for the following phases of your job hunt, which include preparing a cover letter and nailing the interview, with your CV in hand.

A CV is merely the first step in the job-hunting process, after all. No matter how strong your resume is, you must also have strong interviewing and cover letter skills if you want to secure your dream job.

A cover letter is just a one-page document that you include with your job application. In between 250 and 400 words, it serves as an introduction to you and a quick synopsis of your professional history.

Related post: How To Write An Outstanding Cover Letter

Having trouble deciding what to put in your cover letter?

It’s not that difficult once you understand its function. Consider it like this: The recruiting manager will receive a specific message from your cover letter. It will give you the opportunity to tell the recruiter why you are a good fit for the position.

But bear in mind that a cover letter is an addition to your resume, not a substitute for it. Ensure your cover letter does not contain material that is already in your resume.

What goes in your cover letter is as follows:

• Introduction: Give a brief overview of your professional background and explain why you are particularly interested in the organization. To make a positive first impression, you might also mention one or two of your greatest professional accomplishments.
• Describe how you would meet each of the top three requirements listed in the job description in your qualifications section.
• Recap: express gratitude for the reader's time and conclude with a call to action. For instance, "I'd love to chat if you'd like to hear more about my experience with Project XYZ!"

Mistakes to Avoid in your Cover Letter

You will be on your way to getting your next job if you don't make these mistakes.

• Making everything about you
• Duplicate your resume
• More than one page
• Sending out cover letters in bulk
• Using clichés without providing any context
• Being overly formal or casual
• Spelling and grammatical errors
• Ineffective flattery
• Leaving the subject
• Not adhering to directions precisely
• Not signing your cover letter

Related post: How to Write a Great Cover Letter

Other tips on How to write a CV

We will be checking some more tips on how to write a CV in this section.

Make use of bullet points and brief sentences

It's crucial to keep in mind that instead of reading CVs in-depth, recruiters frequently scan them. Your CV will be easier to read and make a bigger impact if you use short phrases and bullet points.

Choose a suitable font

The Times New Roman (12 pt.), Arial (11 pt.), Verdana (11 pt.), and Helvetica (12 pt.) are the most frequently suggested fonts for drafting a CV.

Adapt your resume to the specific position.

Your CV needs to be carefully modified and matched to the position you're looking for. Utilize the same relevant keywords and terms from the job description in your CV and only include pertinent information.

Utilize sample resumes and templates

Some candidates make the error of starting from scratch when drafting their resumes. Use CV templates and examples as a guide and source of inspiration to save time.

Seek professional guidance.

Writing the ideal CV requires skill! It is a good idea to have career experts with expertise in job applications review your CV.

Final words on How to write a CV

You ought to be feeling rather assured about the entire job-search process after learning how to write a CV. At first, the entire procedure could seem a little scary, but now that we've broken it down into manageable chunks, it ought to be a lot simpler to comprehend.

To sum up how to write a CV for a Job application:

• Contact information, a CV summary or objective, work experience, education, and abilities are all crucial components of a CV.
• Languages, interests, hobbies, credentials and accolades, and any pertinent social media channels are all optional parts.
• Know the outcomes of your work are supported by data or some other kind of quantifiable change.
• Make sure your CV is written for the particular position you are applying for. Your cover letter is relevant and should not simply restate your CV.

Related post: CV Samples In Nigeria

For more career advice feel free to check HUB FOR JOBS career page.