Everyone has an opinion about CVs – the more opinions you seek the more conflicting opinions you will receive.
If you want a CV that lands you an interview and ultimately, a successful and happy career, here are some key points to remember:
Your CV has many purposes but here are the two main ones
1. To get you an interview
It needs to give the recruiter enough relevant evidence to decide that you're someone they want to meet.
2. To sustain interest in you after the interview
The CV doesn't stop working once you've got through the door. It remains part of the employer's decision-making process by reinforcing that you have the relevant skills and competencies, not just to do the job, but to make the job your own.
Top tips for writing a CV
1. Your CV is your marketing tool - use it as such. Do not let AI anywhere near your CV. You need to know every word on the document and it needs to have your voice. Letting AI make even subtle changes can ruin your chances of being selected for interview.
2. You should tailor your CV to the job you are applying for; never send a generic CV that you haven't revised or updated specifically for the role.
3. Your CV is a living document and you should always retain ownership of your CV. Even when we work with clients on their CV, they retain ownership of it and the words remain in their own voice.
4. Don't keep adding your latest employment automatically - the CV you had for university or school should not be the same as your CV for a new role.
5. Check and double check your spelling, grammar and punctuation. No matter what sector or department you are in, book publishers are the purveyors of the English language, and by default, anyone who works in book publishing who reads your CV will be subconsciously proofreading it.
6. If you're not getting interviews, then your CV is probably the reason why. To continue sending out the same CV hundreds of times and expecting different results is going to get you nowhere.
7. Don't use a template or any fancy design. Set up a document with a white background and black text and when it comes to formatting, avoid columns, text boxes and too many different font sizes. This is to ensure that your CV passes through any automated tracking system the way you intended.
8. Think of your CV as a statement of fact that explains where you worked, what you can do and the skills you have acquired, along with any achievements. Those facts need to be relevant to the role you're applying for. Give space to the experience, skills, competencies and achievements that demonstrate what you can bring to that particular job.
9. Always ensure your contact details of name, email address and telephone number are clearly at the top of the first page of your CV. Make it easy for the recipient of your CV to get in touch with you.
Want more help with your CV?
If you want to work on your CV yourself, How to Job Search in Book Publishing: The Ultimate Insider's Guide takes you much further. More than 50 pages are devoted to CVs, taking you line by line through every part of your CV, with real-life before and after examples to show you how to make the most of your experience, skills and achievements.
If you'd prefer individual help, we don't just give your CV a quick glance and tell you what to change. We work with you to bring out the best in your skills and competencies and make your CV relevant to the roles and career path you have chosen.
Because we are professionally qualified in career development, we can also discuss your longer-term career ambitions and help you think about how your CV supports where you want your career to go. Your CV remains your document, in your voice — we help you make it the strongest representation of you.