How to write an effective CV for recruiters?

The CV is the most important element of an application, whether for a job, to enter the University or to apply for an internship. This is the document that details your entire career and that will accompany you throughout your professional career.

Contents

Understand what a CV is Focus on a good layout Choose the type of CV adapted to your profile How to write a CV with an effective layout in 10 steps Getting More Information

All this, almost everyone knows. But what we know less is how to make the CV convincing enough for a recruiter. From there, how to write an effective CV on the job market? Read our 3 tips below.

Understand what a CV is

The CV or more precisely the Curriculum Vitae is a main document of an application which details in chronological order, anti-chronological or in order of skills (and importance) the entire career of a candidate. Generally, a CV should not exceed one page except for the most experienced or retired people looking for a new job to occupy their free time.

The CV, as it implies, must contain your experiences, your skills, your qualities and all the studies you may have carried out so far. If you are looking for your first job, you can take inspiration from online resume templates to know what information to include in yours.

When you are wondering how to write a CV, pay close attention to the writing because it is on this document that your chance of being called for a job will rest. You may be asked for other professional documents such as a cover letter and your diplomas, for example, but it is mainly on your CV that the eyes of the recruiter will rest. If ever this is uninteresting to him, he will immediately go through another application.

Focus on a good layout

How to write an effective resume layout

How to write an effective CV and neglect the importance of the layout? It is impossible! As you can see, writing a CV requires careful consideration.

Of course, it is the information that is important, but if their presentation is unsuccessful, your entire application is unsuccessful. The readability of this information depends on it, not to mention that the layout of your CV reflects your personality and your sense of organization. You have to be very careful about it.

To successfully format a CV, respect the following conditions:

A single page is sufficient (except as mentioned above);

Well-spaced headings;

Lightly loaded page, not containing too many images or pictograms;

2 to 3 colors are enough;

A professional font (Times New Roman or Calibri) with a perfectly readable size (12);

Use bold and italics sparingly;

And no underlined text.

In short, a well-structured and well-presented CV is quite easy to read and therefore to understand. And remember to use a good format for it. You can save and/or print your CV in Word format if you still want to make corrections or CV in PDF format if you are satisfied with it. The double-column format is also effective for ensuring good visibility for your CV.

Above all, do not exceed one page because even the most experienced candidates are invited to summarize their background on a single page to measure their spirit of synthesis and their ability to go straight to the point.

Choose the type of CV adapted to your profile

Yes, before wondering how to write a CV, know that there are different types of CV. The CV, far from what you may think, has already existed for decades and has evolved over time to adapt to the preferences of recruiters and to each field of activity that uses it.

Today, there are 5 types of CV and a 6th is in the process of being operational: the video CV, which is super original and which is daring enough to suit all expectations, whether those of the recruiter or those of the candidate. .

How to write an effective CV for recruiters

If you are still a beginner or in full professional retraining, we strongly advise you to opt for the classic antichronological CV. This one cites the experiences and skills from the most recent to the oldest. On the other hand, if you are already quite experienced or retired but wish to return to work, take the CV by skills instead. This allows you to list your skills in order of importance.

How to write a CV with an effective layout in 10 steps

Whatever type of CV you choose, we advise you to take care of the general presentation no matter what:

A wonderfully neat layout;
A convincing and complete header;
A precise and impactful CV title;
A rather captivating catchphrase;
The most relevant professional experiences during your career;
The last and most important diplomas obtained;
A list of your greatest professional skills;
The foreign languages you speak;
Your level of computer skills;
And an additional section for your areas of interest, your publications or your certifications.

Follow this structure and all you have to do is insert the requested information specific to your case.