As a job-seeker, your curriculum vitae is your strongest tool to present yourself to hiring managers. It is your personal advertisement, a showcase of your skills, qualifications and experience. To grab the attention of recruiters, you must have a strong CV. In this blog post, we will give you top formatting tips for creating an attractive CV.

Choose the Right CV Layout

The layout you choose for your professional CV should depend on the type of job you are applying for. A creative role may require a more colourful and visually striking design. A traditional role would require more modern CV formatting. When in doubt, choose a clean and organised layout that makes it easy for a hiring manager to find the key information, such as your name, contact details, work history and education. Make sure to keep the same CV format throughout. Professional CV writers, such as DiamondCV, can assist you with personalised CV formatting.

Use Bullet Lists for Clean CV Formatting

Bullet lists are an efficient way to organise information and make it easier to read. Instead of lengthy paragraphs, bullet points allow you to present your information in a more concise and clear way. Use bullet points for your work experience, skills and achievements. Keep your bullet points short (1-2 lines) and make sure they convey what you have achieved in each role.

Highlight Your Key Skills and Achievements

A hiring manager wants to know about your professional growth, not just your duties and responsibilities in your previous roles. Use numbers and statistics to quantify your achievements and relevant skills to make a stronger impact. For example, instead of just saying you increased sales, say that you increased sales by 20% over a 6-month period. This will show potential employers that you can make significant contributions to their organisation.

Use Relevant Keywords

The majority of companies now use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to filter the candidate pool before the CVs are reviewed by a human. To ensure you bypass this stage, use keywords in your CV that match the job description. Our team of expert cv writers can help optimise your resume with keywords to ensure you are top of the list.

Make Your CV Visually Appealing

Use an easy-to-read font and colours that match well. Stick to black text on a white background, but highlight your headings or subheadings with colours such as navy blue, forest green, or maroon. Avoid using bright colours, as they can be distracting and unprofessional. Use a maximum of 2 fonts throughout your CV format – one for the headings and the other for the rest of the text.

Professional CV Format Examples

https://www.indeed.com/profile/resume-templates

Example of a Skills-Based CV

https://uk.indeed.com/career-advice/cvs-cover-letters/skills-based-cv

Conclusion

By following these simple CV tips, job seekers can take their existing CV to the next level. Remember, a professional-looking CV will not only leave a strong impression but will also give your potential employer a glimpse of what you are capable of doing. Is CV writing your weakness? DiamondCV offers professional CV and cover letter services.