The goal of writing a winning CV is to stand
out from the crowd and catch the eye of your potential employers.

At a glance, the recruiter
or the manager should be able to understand:

·        
Who you are

·        
What your professional
background is

·        
What your skills and
abilities are

·        
What you have achieved

·        
Why you are the best person
for the job

Here
are a few ways you can create a winning CV:

vBe factual

A
CV is a statement of facts and you must be able to stand behind every claim. Before you start
to write your CV, you should find out exactly what your target employers are
looking for and want to see on an applicants’ CV.

The goal is to make it as easy as possible for the HR
/ hiring manager to see you as a fit for their business. Bear in mind that they
will only take around 5-7 seconds to
decide if your CV is worth a look. So show them at a glance that you perfectly
fit the position you have applied for.

Research
info about the company but also about the role in order to adapt your CV and
ensure your application is relevant.

Tips:

·        
Have
a specific CV for each type of job and different areas (e.g.: if you are a web
developer, you could have one CV for software companies, one for final clients
and one for digital agencies)

·        
Review
the job advert in detail to pick up keywords that you can reuse in your CV

·        
Highlight
the skills and experiences that are relevant for the position you apply for

·        
If
you write a CV for an open application, then emphasize the tasks you would like
to work on and the skills that you could bring to benefit the company

·        
Look
carefully at the language and the tone used in the job advert and use the same
in your CV (professional or friendly language, specific technical words).

vKnow what else to include “and exclude!

Recruiters receive approximately 250 CVs for
each job position. One spelling or grammatical mistake and your CV will not be
reviewed.

This is one of the major filters that recruiters use to select or dismiss
potential candidates. Do not hesitate to print your resume in order to spot
mistakes, as it can be easier to spot them on paper than on a screen.

Tips:

·        
Read
and re-read your CV to correct all the mistakes

·        
Ask
friends and family to read it too, they might notice some mistakes you have not
seen

·        
Do
not mix tenses: if you start with the present tense, use it until the end

·        
Look
carefully at the language used in the job advert and use the same in your CV
(British English or American English, German or Flemish, French or Canadian
French…)

·        
Send
your CV as a PDF to ensure that it will be opened correctly and that the format
will be maintained, whatever the software used to read it

In
the end, including a couple of lines about your hobbies, interests or any
voluntary or community work. You’re president of the golf club? Run the amateur
landscape photography association? Great. Not only will this give the potential
employer a chance to connect with you on a personal level, but it demonstrates
your ability to lead and manage a group outside of a business context. Hobbies
and interests indicate how creative, communicative and persuasive you can be.

If
you really want to know how to write a winning CV, one major tip is to is
making it as easy as possible for HR/ Hiring Manager to see you as a fit for
their business. Read the job specification and analyze the main requirements
the employer is looking for, and then write your CV accordingly. Group your
academic achievements, work experience and achievements into defined sections.

vFocus on measurable, not traits

Companies
want a smooth best-fit solution from their new employee. Be clear about
measurable, metrics, and quantifiable on your CV so that they can
cross-reference their needs with your experience. Don’t overextend your use of
competencies such as ‘persuasive’ or ‘reliable’ because at certain levels of
seniority these are assumed to be implicit.

Employers like to have some information not
related to your career to determine your personality and validate that you will
be a good fit for their company. It can also be an ice breaker for the
potential manager that will have your CV when they interview you.

Who knows? Having a passion in common with
the hiring manager could get you a golden ticket for an interview!

Tips:

·        
Show who you are by
highlighting what is important to you

·        
Use examples that can be
related both to your personal and professional life. If you are a Social Media
Executive, for instance, highlight your interest for social networks and
information technology as well as video editing and photography.

·        
Be specific when you list
your activities. For example, instead of writing “exhibitions”, be specific and
write “modern art exhibitions”.

·        
Be honest. There is no
worse impression during an interview than discovering a candidate cannot talk
about a supposed interest. It will only raise red flags and show that you are
not reliable.

vReferees

Include
a section for referees towards the end. An employer will require at least two
references before making an offer. Disclosing the names of your referees on
your CV is optional, but if you do, ensure they know you have done so, and that
they may hear from a potential employer. If you would prefer not to disclose
names, then simply state ‘Referees available on request’.