Right now, a lot of people are looking for work meaning more people are competing for the same position as employers are receiving a lot more applications per role than before. So how can you make yourself stand out without embellishing your CV or adding a few white lies to boost your experience? We’ve come up with a list of small things that you can do to make yourself more employable and increase your chances of being noticed.
#1 Remove any work experience that is no longer relevant from your CV
Your CV must show off your skills in a way that is most relevant to the job you are applying for. This doesn’t mean you need to add experience that doesn’t exist, it simply means selecting the work experience that’s most aligned to the job you want. So if you’re applying for a job in web development, you can probably remove your part-time stint as a waiter.
#2 Use bullet points on your CV
Your CV should be clear, concise and easy to read. Most employers want to see if you’re suitable for the role at a glance, therefore if they can see right away that you have the right skills will they take a deeper look. This means the formatting needs to make this as easy as possible. Using bullet points to highlight key skills and achievements is a great way to do this.
If you find yourself having to use a tiny font size to fit everything in, it probably means you’re going to have to make some cuts – no one wants to have to squint to see what you’ve written.
#3 Brush up on your small talk before interviews
Your interview starts from the moment you walk in the door or start your video call if it’s a virtual interview. Yes, how you answer the set interview questions will have the most bearing on the outcome, but you also need to be aware of the impression that you’re giving outside of the question and answer portion of the interview. The conversations you have pre and post-interview are also taken into account so make sure you are presenting your best self during any small talk that takes place.
#4 Don’t turn up too early
It’s important to be on time for an interview but turning up far too early can give just as bad an impression as being late. Five to ten minutes early is expected by most employers and will show you are a punctual and organised candidate but anything more than that means you can often be getting in their way.
Remember that they will have other work to do in addition to running interviews and that you turning up early will either interrupt them or leave you sitting waiting and running the risk of ramping up your nerves. If you arrive too early, take yourself for a coffee or go for a walk around the block to kill time.
#5 Tidy up your social media
Many employers will do a bit of a social media background check on candidates these days so make sure you have nothing on there you wouldn’t want your prospective boss to see. You don’t have to remove all evidence that you have a social life, but it might be worthwhile checking your privacy settings as platform-wide updates can sometimes alter these. That way you can still proudly display your youthful antics to your friends but keep them hidden from the wider web.
#6 Craft your USP
There might be over a hundred other people applying for this role but what makes you unique amongst them? Think about this and use it as your unique selling point on your application and in your interview. Perhaps you have a time-saving way to make certain processes more efficient. Or maybe you have some unique transferrable skills that other candidates are unlikely to have. Whatever it is that makes you special, come up with a way of directly relating it to why it would make you the best candidate for the job.
#7 Try learning a new language
Did you know that on average bilingual people earn about 10% more than people who only speak one language? It can also be a great advantage to have on your CV even if a second language is not listed as essential in the job description. The company may have clients overseas and having someone who is at least a little fluent in their language gives a great impression, making you a valuable asset.
#8 Use the proper font on your CV
You want your CV to be easily read and professional looking so opt for a font like Helvetica, Calibri, Arial or Verdana. Avoid anything with curly letters or a handwritten style. It might look pretty but these fonts can be a tricky read. And above all, never break out Comic Sans, leave that in the 90s where it belongs!
#9 Avoid having a photo on your CV
Some jobs like acting may ask for a picture but by and large, your prospective employer doesn’t need to see what you look like. You want to focus on your skills and experience and avoid anything that will distract from this.
If you have a LinkedIn profile, try to use a professional-looking picture for this so that means no selfies. Try to avoid any pictures that are obviously from a night out e.g. ones where you have a drink in hand.
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