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15 tips to pimp your standard CV

Have you read the standard requirements of making a CV Have you included everything? Then it is about time to adjust your CV to the type of employee and position. We give you fifteen tips to change your basic CV to a successful killer-CV.

1. Place your contact details: on top of your CV, not only state your contact details but also your e-mail address, your LinkedIn and Twitter account, as long as you use it professionally, or your website URL.
2. Use a professional e-mail address: supergirl123@hotmail.com is not very representative.
3. Photo, yes or no?A face is easier to remember between the pile of CV’s but make sure the photo is professional, representative and clearly visible. Don’t you have a picture like this, or not? Ask your closer circle what they think or just don’t use it.
4. Use hyperlinks in your text: for example to your LinkedIn profile or to a blog or projects you have realized and have online. Select the text that you want to link, click on the right mouse button and choose “hyperlink”. Then fill in the URL of the site you want to link. Note: too many hyperlinks will make your text unreadable and thus will have an adverse effect.
5. Only include relevant working experience in your CV: An employer in the communication sector might not be interested that you have worked as a shelf stacker. Don’t you have a lot of work experience and are you afraid that your CV will be too short? Just spent more time on extra activities. Maybe you have worked for the school paper or you are very good at Photoshop?
6. Be honest: There is nothing wrong with over-colouring your CV but never lie. It can come out in the job interview or even after you have been hired. If you still have to apply for other jobs afterwards, this is never a good reference.
7. Make a basic CV: Write down everything you have done including languages, computer skills and hobbies. Then adjust your CV for every job so that it fits the function requirements in the vacancy.
8. Do not make it too long: Even though you have done a lot for the past few years, you cannot put everything in your cv. It has to fit on two sides.
9. Make sure it is clearly aid out: is everything neatly lined out? Does it look clear? Do you have the same enumerations signs everywhere? The lay-out of your CV gives the first impression even before somebody reads your CV. Do not use undue fonts because it distracts from the content.
10. 10. Put your name in the header of the document: double click in the top of the document where you cannot write. Insert a header text and write for example curriculum vitae (your name). Handy when the HR-employee mixes up CV’s
11. Print your CV: So that you can see if it still looks good this way.
12. Avoid errors: let somebody who is good at texts read your cv. Just like writing a cover letter, you have become a bit word blind in the end. Somebody else can pick the little mistakes out.
13. Are you all ready? Save the result as a pdf, this way nobody can change it anymore. It looks way better as well. Use a practical name.
14. Is your LinkedIn profile still up to date? You have sent a great CV but is it still coherent to what is on your profile? It does not have to all be the same but a future employer should be able to recognize you. Therefore, use the same photo and try to let the purpose shine through.
15. Look at your last tweets: just check, If you have included your twitter profile on your CV, there is a big chance that a member of HR has taken a look at it. Make sure that your last tweets do not show how big your hangover is and how hard you can curse.

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