When looking for a new job, it’s important to ‘spring clean’ your CV and make sure it is up to date. Perfecting your CV is one of the most important parts of the job hunt, as it’s your chance to make a good first impression on the employer.

If you haven’t applied for a new job in a while, your old copy of your CV might be outdated and may be missing out details of your latest work experience and skills. Therefore it’s important to make sure you give it a ‘spring clean!’

We’ve listed our top tips on how you can spruce up your CV!

Update your CV career history

How long has it been since you updated your career history? If you’re looking for a new role, it’s especially important to add information about your current or most recent job. 

Make sure the history for each of your previous jobs includes the company name, your job title and a few short sentences about what you did within the role. If you used a  certain type of software or tools in the job, then make sure you mention them in this section.

Declutter the content

Your CV, like your wardrobe, needs a clear out every now and then! Any out of date skills, qualifications or licenses need to be removed from your new fresh copy, especially if they no longer support your career goals. 

Old or irrelevant job roles can be grouped together into an ‘additional experience’ section to take up less space on the page. Likewise with your education, if you are a university graduate, your degree eclipses any school qualifications you also have. These can be reduced to a single line instead.

Reorganise your CV

Not only should you declutter your CV, but you also need to reorganise everything on there to ensure it’ll stand out and make a good impression on the employer. You should only include the most important parts of your career as a summary, not an essay! 

It’s also vital that your contact details just contain your name, contact number, email address, and home address. Depending on whether it’s relevant to the role you’re applying for, you can also include your LinkedIn profile URL, but make sure you have personalised your link so it isn’t just a clump of random numbers.

Keep the length of your CV to a maximum of two pages, and make sure it’s in a clear readable font, avoiding ones like Times New Roman, which look outdated.

Use a recruiter

Working with a recruitment agency, like Cordant People, means that they can often help with the layout of your CV to make sure it shows off your best experiences and qualities to the employer.

Most recruiters, as well as being able to recommend you, will know what the employer is looking for. And if you don’t get the job, it’s more often than not that the recruiter will be able to find you other roles to apply for.

Do you need some career advice? Maybe you’re looking for a new role? Get in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram.