2019 Elements Of A CV That Determines If You Get An Interview Invite

A lot of people would yell “oh no, not again” at the sight of the title this article. The truth is that everyone is looking for a job – both employed and unemployed graduates.

How would you make your CV compete against someone who already has the experience? How would you even get noticed and called for an interview? Just in case you have forgotten, it takes an employer 5 seconds to make a decision on your CV. Once it isn’t attractive, it is blacklisted – just like Google do we blog owners.

Read More: CV Writing: What to include in your CV 

Every day you see blog owners paying attention to certain rules from Google and hoping to get top of the rank, same thing applies to getting the attention from hiring managers. The job search doesn’t just stop as soon as you land an entry job, it continues – unless you have no plans of climbing up the corporate ladder.

In the quest for seeking out for a new job, you may see yourself as qualified as those who get callbacks, but unfortunately you are dismissed because your CV lacks certain elements. Knowing how to avoid these mistakes can make the difference between receiving favorable emails in your inbox and getting frustrated.

What are those elements that make your CV qualified?

1. Focus on your Objectives

Imagine the introduction of this article look boring, would you bother to read further? That is the job of your objective. It shows what should be expected of your CV.

As you look at the blank page that is about to become your super CV – in the case you aren’t using a template, there are two things to consider;

- What kind of work am I looking for?

- Who will most likely be reading my CV?

In the Nigerian job market, there are more job applicants than job openings, so you should make your objective pass the 5 seconds test – to get the hiring manager glued to it more and explore.

2. CV Language

Due to the high volume of job applicants, hiring managers are looking out for keywords that define their ideal candidate. While reading the job description, take out time to note the keywords that employers seek for. If not specific, there are several keywords that define various job sectors.

In the marketing sector, keywords like; Targets, Leads, Budgets, etc. are just an example of what I am referring to. Every job sector has their own keywords, so it is your duty to identify them.

3. Content

You may have heard severally that content is king – according to content creators online. If you can be able to keep a hiring manager glued from your objective, then you should focus on the content you drop in.

This should be where your work experience, education, achievements, and skills come into play. All these should be written from the most accomplished to the least. This might differ from applicant to applicant, as some might have more job experience, while others might still be just fresh outside school. You should write down your own information accordingly.

4. Coherence on CV

A CV is a professional description of its owner on paper. Every description of you should be headed towards a particular job sector. Nothing kills a CV faster than incoherence.

That is the reason it is advised that the work experiences listed on your CV should tally with the advertised position. Even if you have experience in various job sectors, it is necessary you stick to those that relates with your target job.

5. Organization of Content

As important as the content of your CV, the way it’s organized matters a lot. You should make your outline presentable, and digestible. As you organize your work experience, education and other skills you have acquired, applying the right spaces and the right margins can make it easy for a recruiter to read. This can be the difference between getting a job and remaining jobless.

If you have ever submitted several applications you think you are qualified for without a call back, take a look at your CV once more and ask “what might be wrong with it?”

If your CV doesn’t interest you, how do you think it would interest a Hiring Manager? If you cannot write properly, I recommend you hire the services of a professional CV writer. If spending some few bucks would get you a good job, who cares how much was spent?

Till we meet again, happy job hunting.