How to write an impressive CV for NZ

Your Curriculum Vitae - CV - or Résumé is one of your key tools for your successful job hunt.

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Your CV reflects your professional attributes and strengths.

Your resume can open the door to your dream job.

However, if you are missing the point, or just don't get it 100 percent right, your chances of getting to the next round of the recruitment process and being invited for a job interview might be lost.

On average recruiters take less than 30 seconds to scan through a job application, before they move on to the next CV. You really need to nail your CV to get a chance for a closer look.

You need to put your best effort into getting your CV right.

Two things you should consider when writing your CV:

Average Viewing Time

On average, recruiters read your CV for less than 30 seconds before moving on to the next application
You need to catch their attention by ensuring you present information in a concise and interesting way

CV Scanning Software
(Applicant Tracking System, ATS)

This software scans your CV for keywords found in the job description
Your application is rated depending on how strong the match is and if your CV returns with a high rating, then the chances of a person reading your CV are good

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Our Job Search Specialist Jannie Allen shares her expert CV writing tips

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Jannie says:

"In New Zealand your CV is a marketing tool, not a full work and educational history.

A successful CV will stand out and land you a job interview."

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Customising your resume: The key to a writing a successful CV.

Keen to apply for that interesting role? Now you need to customise your CV. ‍

It's worth spending time on your CV for a role where your skills and experience are a good fit.

Your CV should have information that will allow an employer to quickly see why you'd be a good fit for the advertised position.

Keeping in mind that most advertised positions attract numerous applicants, your CV will only stand out if its well considered, succinct and customised.

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Jannie's top tips to ensure your CV is effective and ATS friendly:

Address keywords in your CV that reflect your knowledge of the role you are applying for. Do your research by reading through job adverts carefully and taking note of the terminology used
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Appropriately labeling your sections will help avoid confusing the ATS. Use common headers like Experience or Skills rather than "what I'm good at" or "what do I do"
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Skip the fancy graphics and text boxes and submit your CV in the required file format
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Read the job description carefully to see which skills are mentioned, and if you've demonstrated these in a current or previous role it should be on your CV. You may need to rearrange sections to ensure that the most important information appears on the first page
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Customise every CV and a good way to do this is to take a highlighter to everything that aligns with the job description. When deciding what to keep in and what to leave out, be guided by what matches the skills and experience required and focus on what the employer needs.

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Further pointers:

Keep it brief (preferably 2 pages and no more than 3)
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Don't emphasise qualifications not relevant to the position
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Apply only for jobs where you can make a good match. The advert will usually specify 'essential' experience and then 'desirable' experience. If you are missing some of the essential requirements, then just move on to something else
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Focus on your current role, or the most relevant to the one you are applying for and don't repeat information
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Don't leave any unexplained gaps in employment

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