If you were to ask about 20 people involved in recruitment what they like or dislike about reading CVs you would probably get about 20 different answers. Everyone has a view or a preference. What is true is that there are no absolutes, just best practices or accepted principles.

What is absolutely vital to a winning CV is that you do your preparation in terms of reviewing what you offer, before putting pen to paper. However, a winning CV will take time to develop and you will no doubt produce several drafts.

It is claimed that a CV gets no more than 30-60 seconds attention and is literally skimmed by the recipient. This means you have to grab (and maintain) the interest and attention of the reader to ensure your CV is put in the “Yes” pile. There is no such thing as the perfect CV and our advice is for you to tailor it specifically for each position you are applying for.

Your CV is a sales document and should be tailored to show how your strengths and achievements could be transferred to a new post and organisation. In short, it should show how you are aligned with what an employer wants and should make them want to meet you.

At Lennox Hardy we have many years experience of building successful CVs that open the door to an interview. For a free and confidential discussion about how we can help improve your CV, please call us on 01698 266627 or submit an enquiry via our Contact Us web page.