You should update your CV from time to time especially when somethings changed about you whether a new job, new skill or anything that need to be changed on your CV.
If it’s that time to start updating your CV then you need to gather all the information that you will need to update it and look carefully at the main reasons as to why you have decided it needs to be updated.
It’s always important to keep your CV looking fresh but some of the reasons you may be updating your CV and some things you should follow when updating your CV are detailed in this article.
#1 CV not updated in a while
If it’s been a while since you updated your CV then it’s always important to look at what has changed since you last updated it, you may be missing some important skills that you have done or something that you have achieved that will look good to potential new employers.
#2 Changed job
Have you changed your job since you last updated your CV? If so then the new skills that you do in your current job could be very valuable for any new jobs you want to apply for. People ignore and forget about their CV’s until that time that they want a new job which is bound to happen but can leave you really thinking about what is different.
#3 Your skills have changed
Have you done something different that you have not mentioned before? It’s important to list your skills down one by one so that you know what you can do and also then you can start to specify from most important downwards depending on what the company or job that you are looking to apply for are specifically looking for.
#4 Make sure that your CV is in a clearly typed font
Making sure that your CV is written in a way that people can read it easily is very important. Some more creative roles may change their ways and fonts but as standard there is nothing worse than not being able to read a CV. Go through other people’s CVs and test fonts but as standard people tend to use Ariel, Calibri, and Verdana etc.
#5 Size and Colour of Font
Make sure that you only use a big font for headings or to outline something on your CV and keep your CV type to point 11 or 12 at the very most. You will have to judge this by the amount of skills and experience and qualifications you have on your CV as in some cases this may drop down to point 10 but you can use your own judgement for this.
#6 CV Examples
Before updating it, get some advice, look at some examples of formats, how are they laid out? Do they suit the role and company you are looking to apply for? Look at new examples to make sure that it is fresh and not out of date and adapt your CV to the company that you are applying for so doing your research is important here. If they are a young and vibrant company make sure your CV reflects this and if they are more traditional old school then likewise no fancy extras that will go unnoticed and probably be seen as pointless.
#7 Proof reading
Get someone to proof read your CV. This could be a friend or family member but you want them to check for spellings, grammar and content because they can look at it objectively as they have not written it and to someone else your CV could read very differently so this is very important.
#8 Personal Profile
The most important part of your CV is an opening personal profile that the employers will read to get a snap shot about you. This needs to reflect how you can do the job that you are applying for so it is important to do this in conjunction with the job description in mind and information relating to the company and your experiences and skills.
#9 Something impressive that you have achieved
Have you done something that you think employers will be impressed about that could go on your CV? People often forget about these things but if they are impressive why not shout it from the rooftops and highlight it on your CV.
#10 New education or qualifications
If you have done any further education or qualifications it’s always a good time to update your CV and make sure that a new employer knows to what level you are qualified to and what lengths you have gone to achieve this.
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