Hiring Managers are busy folks.
Whittling down applications means looking for a reason to swipe left on your CV. They’ve read the same clichés, buzzwords and bland bullet points eleventy billion times. And they’re TIRED.
The good news? There’s a lot you can do to make your CV stand out in the sea of Same-y McSame Same. Really, it comes down to 3 things:
QUANTIFY: Add stats for impact.
PERSONIFY: Inject your personality.
SIMPLIFY: Distill and optimise for scannability.
But let’s delve a little deeper. Strap in, folks, as we level up this CV primer with more insider tips…
AI is A-OK (but only as an assistant).
Sitting down to give your CV a glow up only to stare at a blinking cursor? Rough. Luckily, AI can churn out pretty prose faster than you can say “hire me.” Chat GPT—or our other fave Claude.ai— can generate solid resume prose, punch up descriptions, and output different example formats to get your drafting juices flowing. Imagine asking an AI to rephrase your experience summary in a more scannable, hard-hitting way. Or have it rapid-fire some quantified achievement statements while you’re trying to buff up those bullet points. But when it comes to giving your CV the authentic touch to make it pop? That’s all you. Treat AI like a trusty sidekick, not the main act.
Up the irresistibility on your profile summary.
Imagine your CV singled out on a recruiter’s desk. How can your first few lines grab their attention? Succinctly highlight only your most impressive and relevant accomplishments, then try to make them tangible. Did you slash timelines? Boost user retention 15%? Name drop those stats. Let them jump off the page and instantly demonstrate the caliber of skilled professional they’d be getting. With an irresistibly strong opening highlight reel, you’ll compel recruiters to keep reading and learn more about you rather than moving on.
Your experience, your edge.
In the experience section, paint a clear picture of what you bring to the table. Hiring Managers don’t have time to Google, so (unless it’s a household name) include a brief company description. Lay down your unique value by aligning your accomplishments with the needs of the role—then show how you’ll exceed them. Think: real-life examples and measurable results. Quantify your achievements to underscore your rare skills. For instance:
Launched new e-commerce platform
— Reduced code build time by 25% via implementation of reusable components
— 40% improvement in page load times by code and database optimisation
— Mentored 3 junior devs on modern best practices
Cut out the fluff, stick to the good stuff.
2-3 pages is an ideal CV length, so focus your experience on the last 5 years—no need to list every duty from ancient roles. For older experience, just give each role a one-line summary. And let’s keep those eyes happy and that scrolling finger speedy by optimising for skimmability. Break it down into bite-sized sections. Don’t rely on bullet points entirely; throw in some visual elements too (i.e. icons or slick graphics). Embrace some white space.
Pepper in some personality.
Give Hiring Managers a glimpse into the colleague you’d be. Don’t be afraid to mention passion projects and hobbies that demonstrate leadership, teamwork, or creativity. Share favourite books, travel, or causes that influence your approach. Leave no doubt you’ll mesh with the culture, and you’ll stand out as a candidate who not only has the right skills but also the right attitude and personality for the role.
There you have it—a handy guide to crafting a killer CV that will have hiring managers swiping right faster than you can refresh your inbox. And when you suddenly have too many offers and don’t know what to do? Well, that’s another blog post entirely.
