Clara Valencia @ WiPjobs Recruitment

Standing out on your CV is now one of the criteria in the job searching. The content should be easily read not only by the recruiter, but also it has to be easily read by the applicant tracking system (ATS).

1) Keep it short
First of all, it is about writing the CV in brief and in general it must be written in only two pages of A4, unless you have more experience (this only applies if you have +5 years of experience). 

2) Use plain sheet
You have to use plain sheet color paper, which will look professional and may be conveniently read. 

3) Choose the right font
You have to consider the font type and size. The ideal ones are the Arial, Times New Roman, or Calibri and the font must be readable and consistent in the whole CV, normally the font size is between 10-12.

4) Don’t forget keywords
Keywords should be applied on your CV, especially related to the job you would like to apply. Not only that but it also can easily be recognized by ATS, whose function is to track and analyze the most relevant CVs and be in the shortlist for the next step, which is the human review. Then, those words should also be in the active voice instead of passive voice. The last one is to write everything honestly, never exaggerate or lie on your achievements and experiences.

Some information you need to know:

Different countries may apply various CV requirements. In Europe, the CV might be different from the one in Asia and America. For example, in Europe, most companies would like to accept the colorful CV, unless in Asia and America, they require the ATS-standard level of CV, which is the one-color CV or even just white. Moreover, if you apply to more than one type of job, you must have your personalized CV too. The reason is because one job will have different skills requirements than the others, in particular, a customer service job will require more communication skills. On the other hand, an engineering job will require you to be able to do math and physics. Hence, to keep in mind, prepare several CVs that can fit the jobs you would like to apply for. So, whenever you are going to send your application, you already have your CV in your hand.

One of the basic ATS-standard CVs you can actually see is the Harvard University version. It is very simple yet clear because you just write your information in detail with their templates. You can actually use a free platform to make your CV. There are several applications that you can use to make your CV. One of them is Canva, which not only you can make your CV creatively with a lot of features, from the templates to the fonts and colors but you can also make Instagram posts, reels, etc.

Big companies, especially when they have a lot of people applying to their job vacancies, they use the technology to filter and make the recruitment process faster. Therefore, in my opinion, the ATS-friendly CV is better to be sent to them. Moreover, there are several criteria to make your CV stand out, which is about the languages. Usually, when you apply for jobs in the US or even European countries, it is beneficial for the candidates to be able to speak more than their native languages. So, for example, there is someone who would like to apply for a job in Italy. Not only does he need to be able to speak English but also the native language in that country. It is useful for him too to have good communication in between colleagues in the office, especially during lunch breaks or have a night out together. Even though you can still speak English, maybe it will show more comfort and support using their native language. On the other hand, in several conditions, such as when there are clients that you need to have consultation with, it will be easier for you to make them understand by explaining them in their languages.

What is written inside the CV should be quite in detail due to the information that will be gotten on the selection process. The first crucial one is about your basic information, such as name, address, telephone number, email. These may make the recruiters easier to reach you when they need you.

The second one is about your educational background, when you are now searching for work, it is better for you to write starting from your university education. For example, if you have your master degree already, you can write both your bachelor and master degrees. Moreover, specify it in detail and also your GPA if possible. The third one is about your experiences, it may be in a form of work, internship, or even voluntary jobs. During writing those experiences, you might have to write in your job descriptions, especially the ones that are related to the job vacancy you will apply for. Highlight the skills and tools that may be useful for the recruiters to review if you suit the position. The fourth one is about your organizational experiences, for example you join student organizations or even national and international organizations, in particular, you join model united nations, or other related organizations. It might have additional value to your CV.

Conclusion

No matter how colorful your CV looks or just white plain paper, the best CV may also depend on what you experience and the relation between your CV and the job vacancies that you apply to. Furthermore, do not forget to make your CV personalized when applying to different companies and make sure your skills are actually what they are searching for. 

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