If your CV does not look professional, then recruiters are unlikely to give it a second glance. You might be the perfect candidate, but poor presentation, bad formatting, and inconsistency can lead to a confusing resume that is hard to read or irrelevant to the job you are applying for.
With many candidates applying for the same job, it is crucial not to lose interview opportunities. Here we take you through our top tips for making your CV look professional.
Keep formatting consistent
A professional CV has consistent formatting throughout. If you insert bullet points to list your achievements or skills for a particular job, then continue to use them for the other jobs you mention. Bullet points should also be of the same type, so don’t switch from round to square bullet points halfway through your CV.
The font and font size should be consistent, and professional-looking CVs follow a style guide to ensure bolds and italics are used the same way. We recommend using standard margins and avoiding large blocks of text.
Select a simple font
Selecting a flashy or artistic font may be tempting, but these can distract an employer and take their attention away from the details within. Arial and Calibri are the easiest fonts to read, but Times New Roman is also suitable.
Keep it focused and concise
To make your CV look professional and be effective, you should focus on ensuring the content is relevant to the skills and abilities the recruiter is asking for. If attributes and responsibilities are irrelevant to the prospective job, including them will not help you get a job interview.
A one-page CV is ideal for most circumstances. However, certain positions and industries require a two-page CV.
Proofread your CV
Grammar errors and spelling mistakes can be an instant turn-off for employers, so take time to proofread your CV. If you have a trusted friend, ask them to proofread your CV because it can be challenging to spot your own typos. If you are editing your CV using Word, Pages, or other software, use the spell check feature and scan the text for words underlined in red or blue, which indicates a possible error.
If you are applying for a remote US position, you should edit your CV to US English. For example, ‘organisation’ is spelt ‘organization’ in US English.
Update your CV often
You will increase your job hunting success if your CV is up to date. It helps to regularly update your CV when changing roles or earning a new achievement or qualification.
Use a CV template
CV templates are excellent tools for setting you off on the right track. You will gain an insight into what information to include on your CV, how to write a personal statement, and discover the best way to show your work history, education, hobbies, skills, and references.
Now, you can read our career advice or check out the career-specific CV templates below:
- Accounting CV template
- Agriculture CV template
- Arts CV template
- Automotive CV template
- Banking CV template
- Charity CV template
- Construction CV template
- Customer Services CV template
- Education CV template
- Engineering CV template
- Environmental CV template
- Facilities Management CV template
- Finance CV template
- Healthcare CV template
- Hospitality and Leisure CV template
- Human Resources (HR) CV template
- Information Technology (IT) CV template
- Leadership CV template
- Legal CV template
- Manufacturing CV template
- Marketing CV template
- Media CV template
- Office Administration CV template
- Personal Care CV template
- Professional Services CV template
- Public Sector CV template
- Retail CV template
- Sales CV template
- Science CV template
- Social Care CV template
- Telecommunications CV template
- Transportation and Logistics CV template
