Craft a Winning CV: How to Captivate Recruiters
When you’re applying for jobs, one size definitely does not fit all—especially when it comes to your CV. Tailoring your CV for each job you apply to is not just a good idea; it’s crucial if you want to stand out and get noticed by recruiters and hiring managers.
Here’s how to do it effectively, without spending hours on each application.
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Start with a Strong Foundation
Before you dive into customisation, make sure your base CV is in good shape. This means it should be clear, concise, and highlight your key skills and achievements. Think of your CV as your professional story—make sure it’s one you’re proud to tell. This foundation will make tailoring for specific roles much quicker and easier.
It is a good idea to have a master copy that you then use as a starting point for each role.
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Study the Job Description
This might seem obvious, but it’s the most important step. Carefully read the job description and pick out the key skills, experiences, and qualifications the employer is looking for. These are your clues. They tell you what the employer values most and what you need to emphasise on your CV.
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Mirror the Language in Your CV
Employers often use specific terms and phrases that resonate within their industry or even their company culture. By mirroring this language in your CV, you’re not only showing that you understand the role, but you’re also likely to get past any applicant tracking systems (ATS) that are scanning for these keywords. For example, if the job description mentions “project management,” make sure that exact phrase appears in your CV, if it’s relevant to your experience.
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Highlight Relevant Experience First
Your CV should be a living document, always changing to suit the job at hand. This means that you might need to rearrange your bullet points or even whole sections to make sure the most relevant information appears first. If you’re applying for a marketing role, lead with your marketing experience—even if it’s further down in your career history. The goal is to make the recruiter’s job easier by putting the most relevant info front and centre.
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Showcase Your Achievements
Instead of just listing your duties from previous roles, focus on what you achieved. Quantifiable results—like “increased sales by 20%” or “managed a project with a budget of £500,000”—carry a lot more weight than vague descriptions of your responsibilities. When tailoring your CV, pick the achievements that align with the job you’re applying for and emphasise those.
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Be Selective About What You Include
It might be tempting to throw everything you’ve ever done onto your CV, but this can dilute your impact. Instead, be selective. Choose experiences, skills, and achievements that are directly relevant to the job. If you’ve had a long career with diverse experiences, consider creating a “Key Achievements” section where you can highlight the most relevant successes without overwhelming the reader with too much information.
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Update Your Professional Summary
Your professional summary is the first thing most recruiters will read, so make it count. Customise this section for each job application, focusing on how your skills and experience align with the role. Keep it brief, punchy, and tailored to the job at hand.
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Proofread and Get Feedback
Once you’ve tailored your CV, don’t forget to proofread it thoroughly. Typos and grammatical errors can be a big turn-off for employers. It’s also worth asking a friend or colleague to take a look—fresh eyes can often spot things you’ve missed.
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Keep It Updated
Lastly, don’t wait until you’re actively job hunting to update your CV. Make it a habit to regularly update your CV with new skills, experiences, and achievements. This way, when the perfect job comes along, you’re ready to tailor and apply without scrambling to remember everything you’ve done over the past few years.
Final Thoughts
Tailoring your CV for each job might seem like extra work, but it’s an investment that can pay off big time. By carefully matching your experience and skills to the job description, you’ll not only make it through the initial screening process, but you’ll also stand out as the perfect fit for the role. Remember, your CV is your personal marketing document—make sure it’s working as hard as you are.
OUR FOCUS ON LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIPS
At re:find we have been in Executive Search for over 20 years. We believe that recruitment is not a one-off transaction but rather a long-term partnership. We aim to build long-term relationships with our clients, providing ongoing support and advice to help them find and retain the best talent for their organisation.
In addition, as a business, we understand that every organisation is unique and that there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to recruitment. That’s why we offer bespoke recruitment solutions that are tailored to meet the specific needs of each client. Whether you need help with a single hire or a full recruitment campaign, we can help.
We are committed to providing our clients with the highest quality service. As part of this, we ensure that we take the time to understand your organisation’s culture and values, as well as the specific skills and experience needed for each role.
For more information on our executive search practice and our CCS framework
please get in touch with our Director Carl Hinett
