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If you are applying to a lot of vacancies that you believe you are a good fit for, but not getting callbacks, chances are that your CV needs some optimization. With the number of CVs, recruiters get for vacancies, they are in a losing battle to go through all of them. So, we compiled a list of pointers to look out for, so you will get the call back for the dream job you always wanted.
In the industry, we call it ATD, which means Attention to Detail. Your CV should be proofread multiple times to see any grammar and spelling mistakes. If there is any, it will likely show your level of commitment to what you do, because it appears that you lack due care when performing your work, even if you are promoting yourself. One of the ways to get rid of these mistakes is that putting your application through a spell and grammar checker like Grammarly.
Poor formatting is one of the very first things employers notice when looking at your CV. It can reflect how you might be unsuitable for the position, as it appears that you don’t pay close attention to detail.
Since your CV will be on paper or PDF, make sure you avoid any typos, or any unusual font types to be used in your CV. Usually, safe option fonts are known to be Times New Roman, Arial, and Calibri. Further, since most CVs are submitted online, make sure that the CV is scannable to identify key information. Also, don’t clutter your CV with formatting which can result in the CV appearing not clean and professional.
This is something a lot of people do not know about. In this day and age, HR professionals do not have time to go through lengthy CVs of two-three pages. We must make our CVs shorter and concise. Most employers agree that CVs should be no longer than one page. However, in cases where that’s not possible, the candidate should make the front page stand out, so the potential employer will read through the rest. Time is of the essence, and the more we respect it, the more productive we are.
When writing your CVs there can be a tendency to give your focus on the duties of the roles rather than your achievements. Employers would love to see that you have worked, but they would love to see what you have gained from your previous experience and what you can bring new to the table. So, make sure you spend more time on your key achievements, followed by skills and experience. It should be factual and concise, so you can explain them in detail when the potential employer refers to them in an interview.
This sounds largely a good idea, right? Well not really. Whenever you develop a generic CV to send to all vacancies, it almost always ends up with something employers put into the bin. The lack of effort will be quickly identified.
Employers want to clearly understand how and why you fit the position in a specific organization. A workaround for this is to maintain a master’s CV with all you have done in your professional life, and then make a concise CV for the vacancy based on your achievements, experience, and skills, and how the vacancies’ responsibilities align with your experience.
Action words are words you should use in your CV to describe your professional skills, tasks, and achievements at work in a short and impactful manner. It’s best to use phrases such as “responsible for.” Instead, use action verbs. It helps your CV and personality portrayed as the person who takes the initiative. For example:
– Resolved user questions as part of an IT help desk role serving 4,000 students and staff.
– Increased organic search visits 20% year over year for the client website
– Developed a comprehensive onboarding program for new joiners
Hobbies and interests are a great way of giving an insight into your personality, transferable skills, and how you would be a good fit within the existing team. However, it is important that you do not include too many hobbies and interests.
Many candidates lose many readers right in the beginning with their career summary. Potential employers do read this portion of your resume, but often they disregard vague statements like, “Accomplished professional seeking career growth.” Such statements are overused, too general, and waste valuable space. We advise you to write key skills and a brief background on your career.
It is often that we change our contact information during our lifetime. Be it emails or phone numbers. Make sure you update it, as we tend to forget to update contact details and other personal details. No matter how strong your CV looks, if they cannot contact you for the role, you will never be called for the interview.
Disclosing an unsuitable email address, as contact details can instantly derail your application since it is likely to make you appear extremely unprofessional and overshadow the rest of the application.
An ideal email should include your name, and if it’s already taken, your name and a suitable number.
Since we already put out the above pointers on mistakes to avoid. Why don’t you correct anything applicable and apply to one of the vacancies at HCL that you believe you are a good fit for? We would love to have you be a part of our global family!
