How Do I Make My CV Stand Out?

Preparing a standout CV is crucial in today’s competitive job market. Make sure you follow these 10 tips so your CV gets noticed:

1. Make your CV easily readable. Use a clean and professional CV layout with clear headings and bullet points to ensure recruiters can quickly scan it.
2. Tailor it to the job you’re applying for. Customize your CV for each role by highlighting the most relevant skills, experiences, and key achievements.
3. Keep it one page long. A one-page CV is usually enough, as it focuses on the most relevant information. Use two pages if you have extensive experience.
4. Begin with a summary. Start your CV with a brief summary or objective statement highlighting your key skills, experiences, and career goals.
5. Focus on achievements. Instead of listing job responsibilities, emphasize your contributions in each role and use numbers to underline the impact you’ve had.
6. Use action verbs. Apply action verbs to power up your work experience section. Avoid unnecessary words or jargon that could clutter your CV.
7. List relevant skills. Customize your list of skills for each job application, ensuring that you highlight those most relevant to the requirements.
8. Show off your personality. While maintaining professionalism in your CV, feel free to infuse it with your unique personality.
9. Add extra sections. Include sections that showcase qualifications or experiences relevant to the job (certifications, professional memberships, etc.).
10. Attach useful links. If you have an online portfolio, LinkedIn profile, or other professional websites, add them and let employers learn more about you.

To ensure your CV adheres to best HR practices, you can use a dedicated CV builder like LiveCareer, which features ready-made templates, expert hints, and examples. This approach not only allows for consistent CV formatting but also facilitates the management of multiple CV versions in a single location.

How we review the content at LiveCareer

Our editorial team has reviewed this article for compliance with Livecareer’s editorial guidelines. It’s to ensure that our expert advice and recommendations are consistent across all our career guides and align with current CV and cover letter writing standards and trends. We’re trusted by over 10 million job seekers, supporting them on their way to finding their dream job. Each article is preceded by research and scrutiny to ensure our content responds to current market trends and demand.