It is widely reported that the majority of hiring managers spend just 5 - 7 seconds reviewing each CV that that they receive. This means that you only have a very short window of time in which to impress them. To make sure that your CV stands out from the hundreds of others they might have been sent, you must pay close attention to the kinds of words you’re using within it.

Don’t waste valuable time on overworked business jargon, or tired, meaningless clichés; instead, be clear, be positive, and be prepared to demonstrate every single attribute that you have made a claim to. 

Some really great words to have on your CV might be: 

• Accurate 
• Adaptable
• Confident
• Innovative
• Responsible

But anyone can SAY these things on paper; what you need to do to really stand out is to SHOW potential employers how these traits will make you an asset to their team. Did you, for example, work in more than one capacity in your previous job role? Did you pitch original ideas that were implemented successfully by the company that you worked for? Whatever it might be, make sure you include it, because the supporting evidence is what is going strengthen your application!

Getting the balance right between actions and words right can be difficult—especially when you are trying to demonstrate your skills and attributes in a written document. The key to getting it spot-on is the use of strong verbs, such as: 

• Achieved 
• Created
• Developed 
• Established 
• Increased / Decreased 
• Launched
• Managed 
• Resolved 
• Trained

You should also back these up, wherever possible, with information that is quantifiable and measurable. Writing that, ‘I launched an initiative which saw a 15% increase in candidate engagement’, tells employers far more about you (and your previous successes!) than does the statement, ‘Recruitment professional with a proven track record of building good candidate relationships’—which actually tells them precious little at all. 

FOR FURTHER HINTS, TIPS, AND HELP with creating and formatting your new CV, contact me today!