A curriculum vitae is much more than just a formal document; it is our cover, the business card that represents who we are in a few lines. It is an opportunity to tell our story, to showcase our skills and personality in a concise and persuasive manner. Building a good resume requires not only the ability to summarize our experiences and qualifications but also to convey our authenticity and value to recruiters. Here are some key points to consider to ensure that your CV stands out and captures the attention of recruiters:
- Customize your resume based on the company you are sending it to. Your CV should be tailored to the specific needs of the position you are applying for. This means including only relevant and pertinent information for that particular application. Avoid presenting a generic CV that does not take into account the specific requirements of the role.
- The personal information to be included at the top of the page must be essential: full name, city of residence, date of birth (not essential), nationality, and optionally citizenship (for foreign citizens). Don't forget to include contact information.
- It's important to highlight any relevant experience, even if it's not directly related to your field of interest. This demonstrates adaptability and commitment to potential employers. Eliminating all unrelated professional experiences may not always be the best approach: if you have limited experience in a specific field but have consistently worked during your studies and can demonstrate, through diverse experiences, that you are proactive, then include anything that showcases this aspect of your personality without being overly verbose. It's always useful to highlight transferable skills acquired in different contexts. For example, organizational skills, time management, or leadership abilities can be valued even if gained in unrelated fields. If you have multiple similar experiences, combine them to avoid being too lengthy and creating too many bullet points.
- It is extremely important to add dates to indicate the duration of the experience and to give an idea of whether certain skills have been acquired or not.
- It is essential to ensure that all information on the resume is accurate and up-to-date. Any discrepancies between what is stated in the CV and reality can damage the candidate's credibility during the selection process.
- Pay attention to instructions: carefully follow the guidelines provided by the employer during the application process. Lack of attention or failure to comply with instructions can negatively impact the candidate's evaluation.
- If some specific requirements for the position are missing, it is important to communicate this openly, while still demonstrating interest and motivation. This shows a proactive and transparent attitude, rather than attempting to conceal any shortcomings.
- Avoid overly long CVs. More than 2 pages are not well-received; from the recruiter's perspective, they burden the workload and require a lot of time to find the relevant information. The gift of synthesis is highly appreciated, and being able to condense all experiences into one page, while selecting the most important aspects, demonstrates a personality oriented towards decision-making and autonomous critical thinking.
- Including language or computer skills, as well as certifications, can be beneficial for validating your experiences. If you lack certifications and experiences, many free online courses are available on the internet that offer certificates, including those on LinkedIn.
- Avoid adding grades. Unless you have consistently achieved top grades throughout your academic career, grades do not impress or attract attention.
- Pay attention to formatting and avoid grammar errors. A minor typo can happen, but repeated major errors throughout the CV imply that the candidate lacks awareness of their own mistakes. Formatting with a full page or in two columns allows for more information but must be well-balanced, and columns should not exceed two, otherwise it risks being confusing.
- Avoid lying as it may become evident during the interview or at the beginning of the working relationship; admitting a weakness or an area for improvement is better.
- If the role is not self-explanatory, it is better to provide detailed descriptions, including specific tasks you have undertaken and the skills you have acquired.
- A photo is not a mandatory element, but if you choose to include one, it should be well-taken: clear, not blurry, not a selfie, not taken in a nightclub, and without sunglasses. It is preferable not to reuse photos taken for other occasions. Sometimes, a photo can be as important as a business card because it can give an idea of your personality.
Regarding the appearance, the color chosen is also a way to effectively communicate one's personality. However, the appearance of the CV depends on the type of position sought: if applying for a creative role, a more creative CV may be considered, but for a corporate position, it is better to opt for a sober, essential, and elegant style with a choice of neutral colors that still leave a personal touch.
For creating your CV, it is not necessary to use Europass, which is a standard CV but not mandatory (explicitly required by a very limited number of companies), and it would be better to avoid sending a personality-less CV. The European CV is not suitable for applying to companies because it is not appreciated and also contains unnecessary fields that unnecessarily increase the number of pages. Instead, it is better to rely on ready-made files available on the web made with Word or, increasingly used today, choose a template on Canva, customize it, and save it as a PDF.