One of the first steps to a successful job application is drafting an eye-catching CV. It can be daunting trying to write a CV, whether you are going back into education or looking for work. “CV Writing for Beginners” aims to focus the light on people who are just starting, explaining the basics for an effective CV.
In this article, we will also explore a few tips on how to shine in front of your employers.
Let’s get started!
Image source: pixabay
1. Put Your Contact Information First
Add a contact; this is the first thing that an employer might notice. Keep your links and information current, also please ensure it isn’t too hard to find as well.
State your full name at the top of your resume and then add, your phone number, professional email address and state code. Do not use the silly email you came up with in high school; just try to make it something clean, like your first name and last.
Attach your resume, a link to your online LinkedIn profile or an electronic portfolio showcasing the work you have done.
2. Strong objective or summary of your resume.
Your next section would be your professional objective/summary. Briefly summarize it. In case you are a bit experienced highlight your career achievements in 3 lines.
Career objective for freshers is a more appropriate choice in place of a resume summary. Your objective should pretty much say what you are, and some skills or qualifications that might make fit the position.
This section can be short and sweet: what sets you apart as the best person for this role?
Example of a Summary:
Energetic marketing major with social media experience, looking to become a Marketing Assistant and take branding strategies through conception through implementation.
Example of an Objective:
Computer Science Graduate with 2+ Years Experience in C++ Seeking Entry-level Software Developer Position. Using Coding and Problem-solving Skills to Create Innovative Programs.
3. Highlight Your Education
Your Education (For those of you who have very little work experience.) Begin with the most recent degree, followed by the institution, then city and year of graduation.
It will be worth noting any honors you achieved in your discipline or leadership activities that would appear impressive to an employer. Mention any projects or research you have worked on that are pertinent to the job.
Example:
B.A. in Marketing
University of XYZ, 2024
Digital Marketing, Market Research and Consumer Behavior Coursework Completed
Organized group collaboration increasing advertisement by 25% for a small business
4. Include Your Work Experience(if any)
This could be professional experience, internships or volunteering work. That means, part-time or short-term positions can still show your commitment and teamwork skills as well for role-specific job responsibilities.
Include your position at the company, followed by the name of the place you worked and the period working there. In most cases, you can list out your responsibilities and any accomplishments in bullet point format.
Wherever it makes sense, be sure to add in the numbers (like “grew social media engagement by 15% over six months”) This demonstrates the effects of your efforts on employers.
Example:
Social Media Intern
ABC Advertising Corporation, June 2023 — August 2023
Ran Instagram and Twitter, growing followers by 20%
Helped write weekly blog posts that had 500+ views
Designed social content, increasing engagement by 15%
5. Showcase Your Skills
When listing your skills, indicate inclusive of the profile strength you offer. Define your skills according to the demands of a particular job description that you wish to apply for.
From a skills point of view, you need to divide it into two categories- hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills are technical capabilities, such as software experience or fluency in languages.
Whereas soft skills would be interpersonal characteristics like teamwork, problem-solving and leadership.
Example:
Hard Skills:
Skilled in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
Proficient with Adobe Photoshop & Illustrator
Html & CSS Basics
Soft Skills:
Excellent communication skills written and verbal
Independently or as part of a team
Strong time and organizational management skills
6. Add your volunteer work and extracurriculars
Volunteering and extracurricular activities can be an equally important factor for you if your resume looks void in the professional experience.
They demonstrate initiative, leadership and grassroots passion for causes. Again, list these as jobs: job title, company name and date.
Stress your accomplishments and how the process of completing these activities allowed you to acquire the necessary skills.
Example:
Event Coordinator
XYZ Charity Organization, Jan 2022 – Present.
Planned and hosted local fundraisers, amassing over $10K for schools within the district.
Supervised 15 volunteers
Performed event promotion to drive a 30% increase in attendance
7. Stay neat and scannable
The biggest cv error is overfitting precious (though not too little!) information about your work experience, schools and skills.
On average an employer spends six seconds to skim your CV, and if you need it they can read important things. Limit your resume to one or two pages and use bullets so as not to bombard the reader with text.
Make it professional but also simple, use Arial/Times New Roman to avoid any messy stuff etc.
Image source: pixabay
8. Tailor Your CV for Each Position
A very basic rookie mistake is sending your exact CV adapted to various job applications.
Applicants who take the time to edit their CVs for that specific job are appreciated by employers.
Double down on the skills and experiences that matter most for a particular job. For example, if you are applying for a marketing role then emphasize your social media and content creation work.
9. Proofread Thoroughly
It only takes a single typing or grammatical error to destroy what might otherwise be an excellent CV.
Review your CV with a fine-toothed comb and if possible, have someone else review it. Check for appropriate punctuation, and consistent formatting and verify all dates and facts are correct.
Read also: Project Management Career Progression
Wrap-Up: Project Management Graduate Programs in the UK
There is need to write a CV — even for beginners. Don’t panic because your CV might be as effective even if you do not have much professional experience by presenting information clearly, highlighting strength and tailoring yours for each job role.
The path to these interviews and later your desired job starts with a well-written CV. Then just continue to refine it as you gain experience, and soon enough recruiters will be amazed every time they see one of them come across their desks.
