How to Make a Good CV in 2022

If you have decided to start a new career in 2022 or level up your existing career then your CV might need revamping. CVs have changed drastically in a few years and what seemed relevant in the 2020s might not be hip nowadays. However, one thing about CVs that has not changed a bit is their importance. CVs are just as important as they used to be and they are still the first thing a recruiter will use to judge you. Just like you will be dressing according to the fashion in this era for the interview, your CV also needs to look fresh.

A well-crafted CV can make a positive impact on the recruiter the minute they see it. Even if you lack the relevant experience, you still might be able to land an interview if your CV does not highlight the absence of your professional experience and instead focus on the skills you have. Here are some tips that you can use to make sure your CV is updated and in line with the trends in 2022:

1. Formatting:

Probably the most important aspect of a CV is its formatting and it has changed majorly over the last ten years. CVs before 2022 used to be long with too many irrelevant details. Nowadays, the recruiter hardly spends 7 seconds looking at your resume so you have to make sure to convey as much information to them in this short time frame as you can. A good CV in 2022 needs to contain precise information and the standard length is 1 to 2 pages long. According to professional CV writers in Pakistan, the first impression a CV makes should be inviting, attractive, and professional. An effective format will instantly invite the reader to read more. Use professional fonts that are readable and set margins evenly, without leaving too much space at the top or bottom. Do not over-crown the sections in your resume and respect the value of negative space.

2. Sections to Include:

Including the most important sections in your CV is as important as setting them in the correct order. The first thing that the recruiter needs to see when they view your CV is your name and contact detail. Following are the sections you need to include in your CV and what each section needs to contain:

• Contact Details: Your full name is written in a font size bigger than the rest of the text on the CV, your correct address, and the updated phone number that you use. A professional email address that does not sound like it belongs to a 12 y/o. The link to your LinkedIn profile if you keep it maintained and updated.

• Profile Summary: A summary of all your professional work experience and your skills along with a career objective statement is all that a profile summary needs to include. Make sure to use lots of relevant adjectives here and use fancy words.

• Professional Experience: Write down your daily work responsibilities in small paragraphs and list down your achievements in bullets for each of your job position. Professional experience needs to be written in reverse chronology, meaning you will start from writing the recent job and go backward. Make sure to include the start and end date for each position.

• Education: This section needs to include the degree and the name of the institute and it has to be in reverse chronology as well. You can also write down your CGPA if you think it is impressive. You can also mention a few courses that you think are relevant for the job and will increase your chances of getting hired.

• Skills: One of the most important sections in a CV is the skills one. Include all your hard and soft skills in this section and use keywords to write and list them down. You can also make a different section for Your Technical Skills.

• Extra Optional Sections: If you have any awards or honors, or any other achievement you would like to include in the CV, make a separate section for it at the end.

3. ATS-Optimized:

CV scanning software is all recruiting is about nowadays, they scan the CVs to rank the employees based on their relevance to the job. Your CV will have to pass the ATS first before it can be viewed by a human. Make sure you bet the bots by making a CV that is ATS-optimized. An easy way to do this is to include all the relevant keywords from the job description in your CV. Read the job description carefully and pick out the keywords that are used in the responsibility section. Compare which of these skills you have and include them in your CV. You can also use the same adjectives used in the job description or use words that are similar to the ones written in the job description.

4. Result-Focused Information:

The recruiters receive hundreds of CVs daily and they are tired of looking at the cliched sentences. Including result-based information in your CV and quantifiable figures will make all your written skills verifiable. Instead of writing how you are a “dedicated professional who is great at coming up with new marketing strategies for business expansion”, use sentences that have figures such as “Developed strategic plans for business expansion that resulted in 20% increase in revenue”. This will make the recruiter believe that you actually have the skills that you have written and you have worked with them.

5. Selecting the Correct Type of CV:

There are 3 types of CVs that include chronological (traditional), functional and hybrid CVs. Each type has its own features and each type is used for a specific purpose. If you are a fresh graduate who does not have much relevant work experience, then use the functional resume type. A functional CV will highlight all the skills that you have instead of your lack of experience. Similarly, if you are looking for a career change then a hybrid CV might be the best for you. It will talk about your previous work experience all while shining alight on your transferrable skills. Selecting the CV type that suits your needs the best is integral so make sure you research it before making a decision.

Make sure you proofread your CV before sending it in and attaching a cover letter along with it if you can. This will make you stand out among the crowd of other candidates. Since it is 2022, the world has changed drastically and so many of the tasks we used to do have been simplified by service providers. Similarly, there are now professional CV writing services available that feature the best CV writers that will create an amazing CV for you. So, choose the option you think is best for you and do a lot of research before you apply for a job.