Regardless of your background, a CV will almost always be more effective with a strong introduction.


In the second step of this guide, you will be going back a few steps and thinking about what you are actually "doing". This might feel frustrating when you just want to get started working on the application for the job you have in mind right now. But just as you have to cast the foundation before building a house, this is necessary if you want a good result.&nbsp;

Write a strong CV

Now it's time to write! In this step, you will most likely end up writing far way more than you should, so do not worry that it will be a lot of text in this step - we will solve that later.

Describe your experiences and education

In this final step, it is time to clean up and remove information that is not relevant. By doing so, you make sure that a red thread &amp; your stronger arguments are being conveyed. So the forest is not in the way of the trees you want to highlight, quite simply.&nbsp;

Be relevant, targeted and make the final adjustments

Here you will outline what you bring to the new job and convey that this new position is the right next step for you. If you have itchy fingers and get frustrated that you cannot start writing a CV "for real" yet, we can reassure you that it will come in the next step.

Start in where you're heading

The CV is usually considered the most crucial part of the job application. A CV usually consists of one or two pages and forms the part of an application that describes what you have accomplished previously. While the letter focuses on what you want to do in the future and why you are the right fit for the job you are applying for, your CV tells what you have learned & contributed in the past and what experiences you have. It is more than just a list of previous employments. When you have followed all the steps of this guide, you will have a clear and relevant CV that increases your chances of getting an interview far better than the average.

The CV is not just a list of previous experiences

Outline what you bring to the new job and how you convey that this new position is the right next step for you. 

<ul><li>The introduction is the only part of your CV with a future perspective. The CV should focus on your background and merits, but a strong introduction focusing forward helps provide a context for your previous experiences and shows what you intend to do in the future. When reading your CV, one should immediately feel that the job you are applying for now is indeed the right next step for you.&nbsp;</li><li>The introduction helps to connect your merits to your future. The introduction is a way of adding personality to an otherwise rather strict and formal document. It helps to give a picture of the person behind the merits. And that's important! It is very rare for recruitment to be decided solely on the formal merits. Personality plays a huge role in the recruitment process. Finding out who the person behind a job application is will help create interest and curiosity for the reader. So try to add something about what you believe in, where you are going in life, maybe a challenge you see, or even some odd interest. Keep it very short and make it relevant by linking it to your merits.</li><li>The introduction helps the reader interpret your CV the way you'd like. With an introduction, you can add context to your experiences and education. As a result, you can better help the reader understand your merits and avoid erroneous conclusions. If, for instance, you have had many different jobs, the introduction may help to give a more precise red thread to your application: "project manager with a focus on retail". On the other hand, suppose you have made an unexpected change in your career. In that case, you should highlight it in the introduction to address a recruiter's objections even before they arise: "after 10 years as a project manager in retail, I have moved more and more towards managerial roles in other industries".</li><li>The introduction will help your CV be more "spot on".&nbsp;With a good start, you become more interested in the right job and get a "filter" against the jobs you do not want. For example, if you have a background as an accounting consultant since 8 years ago and focus on IT companies, you can be an exciting candidate for a new similar job. However, if what you want now is to go in a different direction, then the introduction can help you get there and at the same time help you avoid job offers you no longer want. That way, you get a powerful CV.</li></ul>

Here's why the introduction is so important

On the surface, it may seem that the CV is just about listing everything you have done in reversed chronology. But that's done quickly and reasonably efficiently. The challenge to take your CV a step further is to start with where you are heading rather than where you have been. Regardless of your background, a CV will almost always be more effective with a strong introduction, adding personality and a future perspective.The introduction can include a summary of your competencies, a career goal, a short description of your most important personal qualities, or just a simple but meaningful heading. But the more of the aspects you manage to include, the stronger the introduction will be.

Introduction

This step will outline what you bring to the new job and how you convey that this new position is the right next step for you. If you have itchy fingers and get frustrated that you cannot start writing a CV "for real" yet, we can reassure you that it will come in the next step. 


Back a few steps and figure out what you are actually "doing".

To write a strong CV, you need to present your previous relevant experiences concerning the job you are looking for now. Based on what you have done, the recruiter assesses what you can contribute in the future. Therefore, when reading your CV, it should be evident that you have the skills for the job and why you are applying for this job, even if it is also clarified with the help of a personal letter.

The purpose of a CV

Some recruiters will quickly look through your CV to get an overview and a first impression of who you are and may later return to it to read it more carefully. Others will read it thoroughly from the beginning and may not even read your cover letter unless your CV captures interest. What is certain is that in 99.9% of cases, you have limited time and focus from the recruiter and therefore can not afford to lose the attention you get.&nbsp;In most cases, professional recruiters have a checklist of requirements and wish to look out for and sort the applications by. It can be about a particular education, a certain number of years of experience in an area, certain methods or techniques to master or specific situations you have been through. This is usually stated in the job ad, and you must keep track of the ad when you write your CV.In addition to the more formal essentials, recruiters also want to get a deeper picture of you, where you are going, where you stand now, and why you want the job. It is not enough to write that you want the job. You need to give a deeper picture of why this particular job is the right choice for you. That is one of the reasons why the "red thread" is so important. You need to give a coherent picture of your history, which leads to today and the job you are currently looking for.

Give the first impression

Traditional CVThis is the most common type of CV. Here, you list your experiences in (reverse chronological) order sorted by work experience, education, non-profit involvement, etc. It is best suited for most people and is usually the one you start writing your CV after. Functional or thematic CVIn this type of CV, you list your different categories' experiences. Suppose you have experiences that differ from each other that make it difficult for a recruiter to understand and see the common thread. In that case, a functional CV will help present their experiences from a different point of view. For example, you may have worked as a store manager a few other times in your work life, and in between have worked as a consultant in grocery retail. Then it may be wise to separate the store manager jobs and the consulting jobs separately to clarify the different branches of the career. Content prior to form&nbsp;It is more important to stand out for the content than the form. If you are not looking for a job where you must have a graphic talent or ability, it may be wise not to bother with it by trying to stand out with a different layout. The simple is more often the most beautiful.

Arrangement and layout

It's time to go back a few steps to start figuring out what you are actually "doing". This might feel frustrating when you just want to start working on the application for the job you have in mind now. But just as you have to cast the foundation before building a house, it is necessary to get a good result.

﻿Enter the name of the education and then the school in a subheading. Also, enter the period (month and year) in the margin to the right or left.Description of education must include:<ul><li>What the education entails</li><li>What you've learned</li><li>What has been distinctive just for you? Remember that the description should be personal and different from what people who have completed the same education may be expected to write.</li></ul>You do not need to describe your education if you have relevant experience in the field you studied after completing your education.

Education

You must describe your experiences so that the recruiter understands what they mean. This applies to work experience as well as education and other commitments. In the descriptions, it is crucial to be concise to fit everything you want to convey in the limited space. In addition to providing certain information, it must also be credible. A good way is, therefore, to use facts. For example, compare these two sentences:<ul><li>"During my time in the department, we improved the level of service by 22%."</li><li>"During my time in the department, we improved the level of service."</li></ul>The first is much stronger. Here is another example:<ul><li>"I have helped over 300 municipal residents."</li><li>“My job was to help municipal residents.”</li></ul>

Report results and create credibility

Every experience and education in your CV needs a description, so the reader will understand what that experience is all about.You should describe your story and what you bring from previous experiences in a CV. It is not enough to just state titles, jobs, names of educations and schools. You need to describe each post in the CV in detail to give an understanding of what experience you are bringing. The recruiter neither wants nor can guess what your experience and knowledge is just from reading a title at a previous job

A CV is more than just a track record of experiences

Enter the title and then the organization in a subheading. Also, enter the period (month and year) in the margin to the right or left.The description must include:<ul><li>Brief description of the organization</li><li>Your main responsibilities</li><li>Main tasks</li><li>What results you have achieved / what you have learned</li><li>If there have been any relevant organizational changes during your time at the workplace, it can also be an advantage to include them</li></ul>

Other commitments, such as non-profit

Enter the title and then the workplace in a subheading. Also, enter the period (month and year) in the margin to the right or left.A job description must include:<ul><li>Brief description of the workplace</li><li>Your main responsibilities</li><li>Main tasks</li><li>What results you have achieved / what you have learned</li><li>If there have been any relevant organizational changes during your time at the workplace, it can also be an advantage to include them</li><li>Training</li></ul>Enter the name of the education and then the school in a subheading. Also, enter the period (month and year) in the margin to the right or left.

Work experience

Now it's time to write! You will most likely end up writing far way more than you should, so do not worry that it will be a lot of text in this step - we will solve this a little later on.


Describe experiences and educations

Clean up and remove information that is not relevant. By doing so, you make sure that a red thread & your most vital arguments are being conveyed.

Here are some basic rules that are good to check:<ul><li>Let all running text be in size 11 or 12</li><li>Use an easy-to-read font, such as Times New Roman, Arial or Helvetica</li><li>Separate the headings for the different parts (work experience, education, etc.) and the sub-headings for each experience. For example, you can type the titles in a larger font and leave the subheadings in bold.</li><li>Use single line spacing.</li><li>Make clear distinctions between the different experiences and the different parts (work experience, education, etc.), preferably with a blank line in between.</li><li>Use default settings for the margins at the top and bottom and on the sides.</li><li>Avoid colours and shapes if you are not entirely sure you are getting it graphicly good looking</li><li>Enter your contact information, suggested in the header at the top right, on both sides</li><li>Not more than two pages</li><li>References available upon request</li><li>List all experiences in reverse chronological order; the ongoing or latest experience first.</li></ul>

Checklist

What is not relevant for the job you are applying for should not be staying in your CV. Even though it is a big part of your life to have a family and hobbies, it is usually completely irrelevant concerning the new job. Of course, it is nice to know this about you later in as a colleague, but not when deciding whether or not to apply for the position. You also do not want to risk taking focus from relevant experiences just to tell what you do in your spare time. Here are some things to consider if you really should include them (usually these should be removed):<ul><li>Hobbies</li><li>Family situation</li><li>Upper secondary education</li><li>Language courses</li><li>Driving license</li><li>Travel</li></ul>

Irrelevant information does not make anyone happy - especially not recruiters

A good idea to get your entire application to give a good impression is to match the cover letter with your CV. By using the same font and letting details in the layout follow, you can, with simple means, make your application look professional. For example, you should consider:<ul><li>Enter your contact information in the same way</li><li>Use the same font</li><li>Use the same size of body text and headings</li><li>Have any graphic elements repeated</li></ul>

Match with your cover letter

To write a strong CV, it must always be adapted to the exact job you are looking for. It is at least as important to adjust your CV as it is to write a targeted personal letter. The information you choose to present and highlight should be relevant to the job you are applying for. Everything that is not relevant should be peeled away so that what you want to convey does not disappear. The descriptions must also be adapted to be directed as much as possible and focus on what is relevant to the particular job you are looking for.You also need to make sure you have a common thread throughout your career. How you present your previous experiences plays a significant role in how you and your experiences are perceived and interpreted. You may have had a job that is not directly linked to the job you are now looking for but try to find the common denominators and peel away what is not worth highlighting - so that the red thread is strengthened.

Customize your CV

Your CV does not have to be designed and exciting graphically, but it should be easy to overlook. Focus on letting the content (you!) capture the interest rather than the design. Clarity is a must, so you can easily view your CV and quickly navigate it.

Layout

Now it is time to clean up and remove information that is not relevant. By doing so, you make sure that a red thread & your most vital arguments are being conveyed. So the forest is not standing in the way of the trees you want to highlight, quite simply. 

How to write a strong CV

Write a strong CV

The purpose of a CV

Give the first impression

Arrangement and layout