Do’s & Dont’s of a good CV!
Cristina is Talent Manager at Affinity, responsible for recruiting and…
Do you think your CV is at its best?
A CV is often the first contact between you and a recruiter, so it should reflect who you are in a clear and authentic way and objectively convey what you want to make known to companies about you.
As a Talent Manager in the area of technologies, I receive hundreds of CVs every week and there are clearly some topics that I consider essential and that can positively or negatively impact the image you transmit of yourself! In this article, I intend to help you build your CV in the best possible way so that it becomes your greatest ally in meeting your career goals.
Shall we get started with some tips?
- Be objective and uncomplicated – just 1 or 2 pages with essential information are enough to get to know you. If you can write in 3 words, don’t write in 5! Communicate in a simple and straightforward way the functions or projects in which you participated.
- If you’ve been in IT for a short time and that’s where you want to continue, focus your CV on the experiences you’re applying for, it’s not necessary to include information that doesn’t match the type of skills you want to explore/pursue.
- Don’t mix Portuguese and English on your CV. Choose just one language! I also suggest that when in doubt, choose English, so that you are already prepared in case you want to use it for national and international projects.
- If you have examples of work you’ve done, put the links on your CV. Nothing better than being able to see the final product of your project/work!
- Choose only 2 colors – too many colors create visual noise and make your CV more difficult to read and consult.
- If you are looking for your first professional experience, create value with your extracurricular activities such as Erasmus, internships, personal work, among others. You might not have professional experience to share yet but you may have had other opportunities to develop the type of skills required for the role.
- At the end, review all the content well and always pass your CV to a proofreader! It is extremely important to ensure that your CV is well written and free of spelling errors.
Let’s now go on to what I advise against!
- The 3 things that don’t add value to your CV: photo, date of birth and full address! Take advantage of this space for more important and relevant matters.
- Never post information that is not true. We are not good at everything, nor do we have to be, the most important thing is that your CV truly reflects who you are!
- Avoid putting titles like “consultant” or “developer”, it says little about who you are and what you do/did. If you are applying for a specific opportunity, it is important that it is clear what you know and where you want to direct your career!
Finally, I would like to emphasize that a CV is not a static document, you must give it due dedication when you first build it and ensure that you always keep it updated so that it reliably matches your skills, experiences, and professional ambitions.
I hope these tips are useful to you and that they can contribute to your success when taking on a new opportunity!
Wishing you the best of luck with your job applications and many successes!
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Cristina is Talent Manager at Affinity, responsible for recruiting and leading a team of recruiters in the technology area. With a smile and sense of humor that enlightens anyone’s day, Cristina has a degree in Psychology is specialized in Vocational Guidance is addicted to police series and can't resist a good sushi date!