Spring Clean your CV

If you want recruiters to find you for that perfect job, then you need to have an up-to-date, active (searchable) CV ready to go!

Get your CV cleaned up in time for the next job hunting season (October & November). Make sure you have added in your most recent employment information and update your responsibilities with any new projects, duties or special accomplishments that you may have recently achieved. Remember to include details of any additional qualifications, certifications, courses or workshops in your CV.

Make sure that you have current - or at least, as current as possible - references on your CV. References from 10 years ago are not as valuable as those from 3 years ago since your level of skills, attitude and behaviour may have changes a lot since then. Your special achievements will also be more top of mind to those references that worked with you most recently.

Ensure that your contact details are all up to date. This includes your address, contact numbers and email address. If your contact details are incorrect you will not be called for that next great thing!
If you have included your salary in your CV, then remember to update your current salary if there have been any adjustments since the last time your updated your CV. You should also be sure to update your desired salary expectations on your CV in accordance with current market related remuneration expectations.
If you are no longer on the job market then amending your CV status from active to hidden to save both yourself and a potential recruiter from frustration.

Finally, here are a few more tips on how to prepare a quality CV:

• Working Experience - When detailing your working experience be sure to list information in a reverse chronological order (most recent relevant experience first) , highlighting areas where you have accomplished unexpected deliverables (increased revenue or decreased expenses) , under promised and over delivered and emphasise your achievements as opposed to your duties. Highlight areas that relate specifically to your experience in the areas that have been listed as roles or responsibilities on the job advertisement of the position that you are applying to.

• Working Skills - Your written CV should detail skills which you have attained throughout your career that directly correlate to the job application in hand. Your skills should detail both tangible as well as transferrable skills which you have acquired that may be applied to the vacancy which you are responding to.

• Relevant Qualifications and Education - In a reverse chronological order list relevant qualification or highest level of education obtained, pertaining to the specific job application. Bullet point qualifications and certificates in a written word format but have the relevant documentation available for reference should the employer require proof of such documentation.

• Check your Spelling & Grammar - Have someone who else read your CV. By having an 'outsider' read through your curriculum vitae they are sure to pick up any errors that you may have overlooked. In addition, they might be able to give you some objective feedback and a honest opinion of how well your CV sells your unique skills.

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