“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.”
In the modern era, there has been an explosion in the various career options for one to choose from. There is diversification in peoples’ interest. Science is not the only valued field and being a doctor or an engineer are no longer the most favoured career options. Commerce and arts are also gradually rising and gaining popularity among students. Various new jobs have come up to fulfil the needs of the mass.
On the basis of their liking and capability, the individuals choose their perfect careers and apply for jobs in that career. The process of selecting an employee or an intern is a lengthy process. One of the key factors in this process is the CV of an individual. The CV plays a very important role by giving necessary details about the applicant to the employer.
Curriculum Vitae(CV) is a Latin word which means “Ways of life”. It contains extensive information about the person’s abilities which gives the employers the various details and accomplishments of the individual. The CV plays a very important role in the screening employee and if the employee is selected or shortlisted, it is typically followed with an interview. Sometimes, CVs are also used for grants and scholarships. CV contains information of the person such as the employment history, education, qualification and some personal information. CVs are frequently modified to emphasize different points on the position or the job the person is applying for.
Though CV and resume are used synonymously, there is a difference between the two. The basic difference between the two are the length. A resume is a brief summary of the skills and experiences of a person which stretches over one or two pages. A CV is more detailed and can stretch for more than two pages. A CV is intended to be a full record of one’s career history and a resume is a brief list containing only some of the skills and talents of the person. Resume is more customisable than a CV and can be changed easily.
Due to its high importance, it is imperative to have a perfect CV to increase chances of getting selected for the job. Most employers give just a cursory glance to the CV before deciding whether they will read it or not. Those seconds are exceptionally important as these seconds might either increase or decrease your chances for getting the job.
Here are six ways to improve your CV:
1. Be clear, structured, concise and avoid unnecessary information
A good CV should be precise and to the point. The employer does not have enough time to read the entire CV as they receive many CVs from the job aspirants. They mainly scan through the CVs and read only those which catch their attention. To make sure that your CV is attractive and catches the attention of the person reading it, give it an interesting layout and structure it properly with headings assigned to each sub-topic. Avoid giving any unnecessary information as this will bore the person reading it and it is likely that he will not read your article completely and this will damage the chances of you being chosen for the job or post.
2. Shape it to fit the application
Bring necessary changes to your CV according to the job you are applying for. Gain skills which will make you a better candidate for the particular job. For example, if you want the job of a reporter, having prior experience with article writing is helpful. In the same way, if you want a managerial post, having prior experience of leading people is always helpful. Try to get maximum experience and exposure in the field which you are interested in and want to pursue a career in.
3. Decide on the skills you want to add
While you may have many skills, some may not be relevant to the particular job. Make sure to know what the job is and what your role is going to be and add the skills accordingly. Make sure to remove the unnecessary details as this may affect the purpose of the CV. See to it that you apply skills which will help you progress in the industry and adapt to changes as these are always looked upon favourably by the company.
4. Make sure the CV is error free and easy to understand
Most employers count errors in CV as laziness and ignorance on the part of the job aspirant. This damages the chances of getting selected for the job. So make sure to cross check your CV and to eliminate any errors to improve your chances of getting selected for the job. Do not use language that is too complicated to be understood as this will give rise to confusion and will not assist you to get the job you desire.
5. Use a header
Give an emphatic header at the very top of your CV which clearly defines your personality and your suitability for the job. This will give the employer a conclusive view of why you are befitting for the job in question. Use a title before each topic. Ensure that the headers are assertive and definitive and give a clear indication of what the paragraph or topic contains. This will help in easier computation and will also help in making your CV precise and easier to understand.
6. Don’t overuse fancy fonts and colours
While it is good to have a splash of colour, make sure to not overdo it. To ensure that your CV is different from the other CVs you can always use different font and apply different font style to you CV. While a bit of colour and different style will make your CV stand out but, if overdone, it will have a negative impact. Something as simple as a border goes a long way in making your article noticeable.
The above tips will help in making the perfect CV and will therefore increase the chances of getting the job one is hoping for. Make sure the points in a CV are in chronology, avoid unnecessary details, cross check for mistakes and you are all set!
- Debosmita Bhattacharya
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Want to get published on EMN and join the community? Here is an opportunity to join the Board of Young Leaders Program by Eat My News. Click here to know more: bit.ly/boardofyoungleaders
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