One of the most daunting tasks for a job seeker is writing his or her CV, despite the fact that it is arguably the single most important aspect of a job search. If you find yourself confused about what and how to write a good CV, then the ten tips given below will guide you through the process and make it a lot simpler and engaging.

1. Discover the CV’s purpose

 You first need to understand that a CV’s purpose is not to get you a job. That is something you have to do on your own. The real purpose of a CV is to get you an interview with the recruiter, which gives you the opportunity to really show what you can do for them and convince them to take you in.

2.       Know the job you for which you are applying

Are you sending the same standard CV for every job application? If so, then your chances of getting a job are significantly reduced. Sending the same CV to everyone is a completely forbidden. Instead, you should tailor the CV for every job for which you apply. Each job has its own list of skills and expertise that may differ from others, even though the position is the same. Therefore, know the job you are applying for and tweak your CV for it accordingly.

3.       Read what your CV says

What do you want your CV to tell about you? What impact and feel do you want from it? How can you make your CV into a better and more positive representation of yourself? Can you do something to the layout, format, or content in the resume that you can change to make it stand out from the rest without breaking the guidelines for a proper formal CV? Ask yourself these questions and work on your resume to make it better.

4.       Write what you can offer

In order to write down effectively what you can offer to a prospective employer in your CV, you need to first read the job description and understand the specifications of the person they want. Once you have done this, you can then think about how your own skills and experience can be used to satisfy the specifications. Write down where and when you acquired these skills and experience. In fact, this can be a good starting point to writing a fresh new CV.

5.       Quantifiable results in a CV

Make sure you focus on your accomplishments and results, rather than focusing solely on your previous job responsibilities and descriptions. Your accomplishments should also be quantifiable. Be as specific as you can about what you have achieved in your career so that recruiters get a better understanding of your potential. Moreover, use percentages more often than direct numbers. For example, what may seem like a large turnover for your previous small company employer may not be a big figure for a large company.

6.       Write what is relevant

While you should concentrate on your accomplishments in your resume, you should also ensure that those accomplishments are relevant to the job for which you are applying. Do not get carried away in writing your skills and strengths. Write something that is either irrelevant or may give you work that you did not want to do.  Check out resume examples online related to your potential job to get a better feel for what is relevant.

7.       Find out what will pique the interest of the employer

Make sure the language in your CV has a personal tone so that it attracts the interest of the recruiter. Moreover, use formal words. For example, instead of saying ‘put together reports’, you should write ‘developed/compiled x number of reports’ where ‘x’ is the number of reports you compiled.

8.       Recognize your style

You should recognize the CV style and format you are most comfortable with and use it consistently for all the CVs that you send. If you have spent time to make your CV consistent throughout, it shows, and recruiters will value the effort you have put in.

 9.       Write your name and number on every page

If you are sending a paper CV rather than an electronic copy, you should keep in mind that there are chances one or two pages may get lost. Therefore, you should add your name and phone number or email address on the footer of every page.

10.   See that you are proud to put forth your CV

If you have an addition to your CV that will make you proud to send it to an employer, then that is your calling card. Ask yourself what you need to do to make yourself happy and proud about the work you are putting forth, and you will be closer to understanding this final tip.