Your CV is your personal brochure to advertise yourself to recruiters, so… why so bland? 

With so many CVs vying for attention, it can be challenging to stand out. Follow these top 5 tips to create a stand-out CV and improve your chances of success in your job search. 

1. Try our LinkedIn word cloud hack 

LinkedIn is so much more than a social platform where thought leaders bang on about their top tips for optimising your resume and the like (just us?). It can also be a powerful research tool that helps you nail your job search because you can check out the hiring manager and team members, as well as company-specific language, hiring trends, and key project updates. 

Here’s how it works: 

1. Search for the specific role title that you’re applying for. You can also search for the person or people who’ve worked in that role at that organisation. Try something like, ‘Software Engineer Talenza’ to start you off. 
2. Review any job ads and employee profiles and pull out the key words and skills they list. Cross-check with the job ad to identify consistencies. 
3. Review your CV and highlight (actually with multi-coloured highlighters) where these skills and terms are listed. 
4. Assess their distribution. Are the right skills more prominent or is something non-essential hogging the limelight? Redistribute as necessary. 
5. Run your resume through a word cloud generator to help you. It can show you a list of your most commonly used words and rank their prominence by font size. 

You’ll want to make sure you’re highlighting these keywords and skills throughout your LinkedIn profile, and CV summary, job titles, and skills sections to really set you apart from other candidates. 

2. Customise your CV for each job 

While it's obvious to have a general CV that you can use as a starting point, tailoring your CV to each specific job you apply for can make all the difference. This means highlighting those specific skills and experiences relevant to the requirements of each job. 

3. Use concrete examples and quantifiable metrics 

The best way to demonstrate your value is to list your achievements with jaw-dropping metrics. This could be anything from increasing sales at your previous company to leading a successful project.

These examples can include numbers and statistics that show how you have contributed to the company, such as: 

• growth - did you influence customer lifetime value, profit margins, brand engagement? 
• savings - did you help the business save money, time, waste, or other resources? Did you introduce an org-wide, system-enhancing hack? 
• impact - did you help your company make a big PR splash, win an award, or change the industry? 

Also consider how often you did these things and if there’s a noticeable trend or pattern to the work you do. 

4. Use action verbs 

CVs are often written in a passive voice with short, bulleted sentences and vague language. Instead of simply reciting the duties and responsibilities from each role’s stuffy job description, use action verbs to describe your achievements and responsibilities. Examples include "developed," "implemented," and "managed." 

To create a stand-out CV, you want to write with a punchy, active voice that cuts to the point and focuses on the specifics. (And ahh, by specifics we don’t mean everything and the sink, we mean, cut out the fluffy and vague language and be clear about *your impact*.) 

Check out Harvard’s Resume and Cover Letter Guide for their list of action verbs. 

5. Proofread 

It’s the most obvious tip out there, but even in the age of grammarly and Microsoft Word editor, candidates still do not proofread their CVs! Make sure you review your CV for spelling and grammar errors and to make sure your text is readable and makes sense. These small mistakes can make a big impact on the impression you give a recruiter (some are known to be ruthless!). 

By following these top 5 tips, you can create a stand-out CV that will impress recruiters and increase your chances of getting an interview. With a little effort, you can create a CV that sets you apart from the competition and helps you land your dream job. 

We’re always here to help. Get in touch if you’d like a hand finding your next dream job.