When applying for a job, your CV is often your first impression. That’s why an excellent CV can increase your chances of getting the job you want! With lots of experience, our EU-People recruiters know exactly what makes a good CV. Below, we’ll share their 7 tips for writing an excellent CV that will help you get the job you want.
Tip #1: Up-to-date contact details
This should be an obvious one, but include your up-to-date contact details! Multiple times a week, we receive CVs with outdated contact details. A recruiter who wants to reach you will use the contact info in your CV. If your phone number is inactive or your email gives a “mail undelivered” error, you miss your chance to get the job. Before you send your CV – make sure your contact information is up-to-date and spelled 100% correctly.
Tip #2: Up-to-date work experience
It’s important that your CV is up-to-date. Before sending your CV, update your work experience all the way up to the current year. For example, if you send a CV in 2023 but only include working experience up until 2019, you miss your chance to get the job.
Tip #3: Include the duration of employment
How long you worked at each company is an important part of your work history. When writing down your work experience, mention the year and month at which you started and ended work. For example, “May 2019 – July 2022”. If you mention only the years (e.g. 2019-2022), your CV may be too vague and you can miss your chance to get the job.
Tip #4: Include the position you worked in
We often get CVs that mention work experience at a company or job agency, but not the position. This information is super important! For example, if you only mention “Albert Heijn”, how will the recruiter know if you worked as an order picker, reach truck driver, store employee, or manager? Make sure that your work experience is complete, including the position you worked in.
Tip #5: Include your language skills
Especially when applying abroad, it’s important to know a common language. English is ideal! Speaking the same language helps with safety and cooperation. On your CV, include your level of English and any other languages you know. You can use words such as “native”, “near-native”, “intermediate”, and “basic”. Or, golden tip, use the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)! Properly marking your language skills increases your chances to get the job.
Tip #6: Add your licenses and certificates
Education in school is good to mention, but licenses and certificates can be even more important for certain jobs. On your CV, remember to mention your driver’s license (plus category), EPT certificate, reach truck certificate, forklift certificate, and any other licenses and certificates that make you a better candidate. Don’t have any licenses or certificates? It can be good to mention that as well. You’ll waste less time on interviews for jobs that require a certificate you don’t have.
Bonus tip: Personal data use
Privacy laws are constantly updated. This makes it more and more difficult for companies and job agencies to store your personal info. At the bottom of your CV, make sure to include the following sentence: “I agree that my personal information mentioned in this document can be used for the recruitment process of the receiver.” If you allow the company to store your CV (for contacting you in the future), you should add “I allow the receiver of this document to store the personal information mentioned therein for up to two years”.
Summing up
And that’s it! 7 simple tips for writing an excellent CV. We hope this information helps you get the job that you are looking for! Do you have any tips for how to improve a CV even more? Share them in a comment below!