When thinking about starting your search for a new job, the first thing you should do is take a look at your CV. The UK has a highly competitive job market, and many hiring/recruitment managers will be inundated with CVs. In order to give yourself the best possible chance of standing out, securing interviews, and ultimately your ideal role, it’s important to make sure your CV is up to scratch and shows all the necessary information.

Here are our top tips to make sure your CV stands out:

• It is important that your CV is formatted in a clear, concise and chronological format using bullet points, with your most recent role listed first. Ensure job titles are clear and the font is consistent and easy to read.


• Ensure your contact information is up-to-date and listed at the top of your CV along with a link to your LinkedIn profile.


• Try to avoid listing too many soft skills. You can achieve this by adding a ‘Responsibilities and Achievements’ section underneath each role on your CV and, where possible, adding tangible/measurable achievements.


• Your CV does not need to be crammed onto one or two pages, although keeping it reasonably concise is important. Interviews are where you will be given the opportunity to talk about your experience in more depth.


• Only list work history that is relevant to your current job search. Your most recent role is going to be the most important and relevant part of your CV and all prior experience will provide more context to employers.


• When outlining previous work history, it is beneficial to add a small description on previous companies as they may not be widely recognised within the UK.


• When listing your education history; your high school, university and post-university qualifications are relevant, however, transcripts, grades and primary school education is not relevant, so leave those off.


• Spelling and grammar: a well-presented and thoroughly proofread CV reflects professionalism and attention to detail. Why not ask a friend to proofread your CV before sending it off? Don’t fall at the first hurdle because of avoidable typos or poor grammar.

At SRM Recruitment, we’re here to support you and your career aspirations. If you’d like further advice or have any questions on the job market in the UK, please contact a member of the team.