In a competitive marketplace, applying for jobs can be a soul-destroying task and nobody likes being ignored or rejected, but there are some simple things that you can do to improve your chances of success.
It is important that your application and CV stand out for all the right reasons so here are some top CV tips to help you secure your dream job:
1. Tailor your application to the job that you’ve applied for. It may, on paper, appear to be a similar role to one that you’ve previously applied for but it is vital that your application is specific to each job that you are applying for. Often, this only requires small tweaks but if you can work some of the keywords from the company’s job advert into your application, it will attract their attention and recruiters will appreciate your effort.
2. Highlight your relevant experience and skills. Explain clearly and concisely why you are the right person for the job, based on your experience, qualifications, interests and talents. Your CV should specifically state what sets you apart from the competition and why you would be the best fit for the company and the role they’re recruiting for. Detail what you can offer the company to enable them to best deliver their objectives.
3. Be SMART. If you are asked to provide competency examples, it is vital that they adhere to the recruiter’s word count limits whilst being Specific (choose a specific task/activity/event to talk about), Measurable (explain clearly what your role was – the recruiter doesn’t care about the team’s achievements), Achievable (what outcome did you achieve?), Realistic (don’t try and take credit for something that you didn’t personally do – if you are quizzed about it at an interview, you will be found out) and Time-bound (what deadlines were you working to and how did you plan your work to meet them).
4. Spelling and grammar are important. Many a CV has been passed over because recruiters will consider spelling and grammatical errors to reflect an applicant’s lack of attention to detail or an inability to deliver quality output to a deadline and sideline their application. If you struggle with spelling or grammar, ensure that you spell check before submitting and if necessary, get a family member, friend or colleague to proofread your application for you.
5. Clean up your social media presence. In this modern age, recruiters will often conduct some soft research on their leading applicants before inviting them to interview and if your social media posts frequently show you in a bad light, it may tip the balance into another candidate’s favour.
6. LinkedIn is frequented by many major organisations who will use it to advertise postings, conduct research into potential candidates and identify potential candidates to target for specific roles, so keep your profile up to date and relevant in order to maximise its effectiveness.
If you need more tailored support in securing your perfect job, RMG Digital can help you. We can support you in developing your career aspirations, identifying suitable roles and providing you with specific advice during the application process. We are recruitment support experts with a deep understanding of the competitive jobs market and we can help you to sell your experience and ability, making it easier for you to succeed and progress.
To find out more, call us today:
Swindon, UK
Tel: 01172 840840
Kingston House, Lydiard Fields
Swindon, SN5 8UB
Or
London, UK
Tel: 020 3800 1118
2 Eastbourne Terrace
London, W2 6LG
