How a Healthy Resume Should Look? The Do's and Don't Of CV

CV/Curriculum Vitae or popularly known as a resume is a self-portrayed picture about our past works in front of the recruiters. What they (recruiters) see and what they interpret is entirely dependent on the kind of words you write on the resume. No matter how strong your experience is and how perfect your communication skills are, a badly written resume can show you the exit. 

The information in this article is curated from best pieces of advice detailed by highly skilled recruiters. Have a look, as it can transform your odds. 

Order your Curriculum Vitae:

Represent your information in a way that the recruiters don’t have to make efforts to find the details that they need. Here’s an order for a quick reference: 

1. Contact details
2. Opening statement 
3. Career overview
4. Key Skills
5. List of software and technical skills
6. Personal attributes
7. Educational qualifications
8. Employment history/work placements /volunteering
9. References/referees

The most important thing is to get the mandatory details in front of the recruiter first as these examples of information will decide your future of the interview. However, it is not a stone rule to follow this order, you can arrange it according to your exposure as well. 

Tailor your curriculum vitae:

As per Tauseef Alam, a renowned education expert and CEO of DistanceEducation360.Com, To make a great deal out of your resume, you must customize your resume and link it with relevant links which will generate trust in the recruiter. Here are few points that you can get inspired from:

1. In the opening statement instead of using generic paragraphs like “My purest intentions lie in the advancement of my efforts towards creating future benefits for the company”  use your experience and link it with your education that backed you up in getting that smart exposure. 
2. Listing only the relevant skills first. Avoid noting down skills that are more obvious and doesn’t require any space in your CV, examples of which are: Perfect communication skills, understanding of Microsoft Office, Creative skills, Administration skills and more. Instead highlight your skills that you gained after clearing certification exams like CCNA, CCIE (Cisco Certifications) and others in a relative of the same or any other skills that was awarded by your previous company. Mentioning of such skills validates you as an employee who is willing to learn in the due course of his/her experience with the company. 
3. Put a spotlight (in bold) of your skills that match the advertised criteria of the company for which you are applying.  
4. Use attractive keywords and phrases that many job portals are automated to shortlist, examples are: Jobs, Activities, Qualifications, Software, Tools, Skills, Certifications, Training, and Technical. 

Good places to add these keywords are: 

• Your opening statement. 
• Your educational history.
• Your employment history. 
• Your list of key skills. 

Since now you are aware of what all TO BE put in your Curriculum Vitae, let’s have a look at what NOT TO put in your Curriculum Vitae:

Here’s a list of what not to put into your Curriculum Vitae: 

Private Information:

Many recruiters believe that including Private information can fade their interest as too much of information that is not required can irritate the conversation ahead, like: 

• Your gender
• Your birthdate
• Your address
• Your health status
• Your disabilities or other ailments- Inclusion of this might can appear to be asking for a sympathetic advantage. 

Images and Graphics:

Many recruiters believe that having an image of the candidate on the paper can be irrelevantly distractful and equally judgmental. More, including graphics, can make job portals or software confused, further creating a problem in shortlisting your profile. 

Avoid Fancy Formatting: 

Another basic issue of having a Curriculum Vitae rubbished from a recruiter is fancy formatting. For example, many fresher or even professionals choose their choice of fonts like Comic Sans, which provokes an impression of immaturity and unprofessionalism. You must choose professional fonts like Cambria, Times New Roman, Calibri or Arial. These fonts are shortlisted by top-notch recruiters as they signify professionalism in a candidate’s profile. 

Including information in the tabular format: 

Another lesser known fact about bad Curriculum Vitae is information stored in a tabular format. Many recruiters have mentioned in their articles and interviews that they prefer details displayed in a list format as they are an ease to their minds and assist them making a decision quickly. A tabular format in Curriculum Vitae makes a recruiter struggle to find information. Use simple formatting and list your information in columns with line breaks; they are easier to understand and relate. 

No PDF formats: 

This is more applicable for technical assistance. Many job portals and software are unable to track CVs disclosed in a pdf version. Upload your resume in a doc format and send it to recruiters in the same format as well. 

Avoid using Header and Footer in the Curriculum Vitae:

Many professionals and even freshers enclose their name and address in the header and footer of the Curriculum Vitae. This is an annoying addition that can look irrelevant and more needy. If a recruiter is interested in the profile then he/she will find your credentials on the paper mentioned. Avoid using header and footer displaying your present company as well as it embarks a negative impression on the recruiter as he/she might question your intentions of applying.

A doc with errors:

Microsoft word enabled documents can display some errors and depend upon its version; there can be a possibility of few red lines in your file that might have gone neglected. Proofread and make sure you send the most updated yet compatible version of your Curriculum Vitae without any factual as well as grammatical errors in it. 

The Bottom Line:

A healthy CV is a reflection of your whole life accomplishments. It has to be perfect, it has to be clean, it has to be impressionable and last, it has to be honest. Your hard work of years should be detailed in the best, logical and dignified format. Work hard, stay dedicated and keep growing!