Essential Tips for The Perfect CV Or Resume

01 March 2016 Peak Recruitment

Dart on a dartboard

First impressions can either make or break your next job application. If you do not get accepted at first base you are likely to see that dream career quickly disappearing. And the fact of the matter is, in the modern world of recruitment, it is likely you will not be there in person to state your case – it will be up to your CV to create that perfect introduction. When you consider that most people hardly ever update their resumes, fail to streamline it to the post they are applying for and do not inject their own personality into the writing this is clearly a worrying scenario.

Here at Peak Recruitment we have a special interest in supporting our clients and candidates reach their employment goals. As a recruitment service based in Bangkok in Thailand we want to enable both native foreigners and expatriates effect the perfect job application. With that in mind take a look at our top ten tips for ensuring your CV engages and stimulates and does not end up in the waste bin.

Target Your Information

A successful CV will relate to the post you are going for. Whereas the likelihood is you are always going to be going for the same kind of job in your preferred industry, each business you approach will have different job requirements and roles. Therefore, it is essential you do not write one CV and use that for all the positions you are applying for.

Keep a template of your basic information, personal details, education, employment and personal history and create a new CV for each job by updating and streamlining the information to the prospective employer’s requirements. In this way the information on your CV will be relevant and focussed to your current job search and be much more powerful.

Use the Job Description to Reflect Your Skills

The job description will be the key to creating a perfect resume. Read through the Job description and extract all the factors they are looking for in a candidate. Then adapt those requirements to those skills awards and experiences which you feel you have or have shown in previous posts. For instance, for “must be a good team player”, highlight scenarios where you have excelled in good team work in education, employment or your personal life.

Keep It Short and Punchy

It is likely your resume will land on a desk with hundreds of other CV’s. Your prospective employer is going to be short on time and will need to decide quickly whether he/she should read the whole of your CV or not. You therefore need to keep you CV to two to three pages at maximum. State the point you want to make (in relation to the job description) and do not go into heavy detail. Use bullet-points where possible and tables for such areas as education and employment. End with a short paragraph that summarises why you are perfect for the post. This paragraph is often where many recruiters start reading.

Cross Cultural Reference

At Peak Recruitment we assist many job seekers coming from abroad looking for marketing work in Thailand. We suggest you show clearly on your CV that you understand the fundamental culture of Thailand. This can be highlighted by past experiences.

Research the Company Beforehand

Every company and business is different and will have specific needs and requirements. If you have a broad knowledge of how they work, their products, goal, brand and mission you will have a much better chance of quickly showing you can meet their needs. Research the company and pepper your CV with statements that relate to their company USP and mission.

Double Check Your Grammar

Once you have written your CV make sure you proof read it afterwards. Spelling and simple grammatical mistakes can make you appear unprofessional and slovenly in your approach. It is often difficult for a writer to spot their own mistakes so if you can, ask a friend or colleague to check it through for you.

Also, we are not all budding writers. If the post is important to you, then it may be worth asking a professional CV writer to structure a resume for you. They would also be able to highlight your skills in relation to the post and format the document so it is fast and easy to read.

Engage! Engage! Engage!

As we said earlier your reader is going to be short of time, so they are going to need to see something worthwhile pursuing straight away. The two most important areas are the first section and the end summary section. You will head the CV with your personal details and contact details. We suggest making the next section “Primary skills” which will highlight those skills in relation to the job description. The summary paragraph will again consolidate those points.

Self-Promote

This may seem a little bit obvious but you really do need to shout about why you are perfect candidate for the job. As a modest individual you may feel you are being arrogant, but remember this maybe the only chance you get to be put on the interview list. A resume is no place for humility. Big yourself up but stay within the facts.

Be Honest

You may be desperate for that job and drawn towards elaborating on the truth a little, but keep firmly to the facts. Those little fibs are likely to catch you out further down the interview process and then your name could be tainted for future work. And don’t forget successfully winning the position will only cause issues if you cannot really complete the role in the end.

Don’t Talk Money

Keep your values firmly based in your skills, experiences and awards. Do not start putting a price on your head. It is the quickest way to the exit!

Cover Letter or Email

  • Keep it short and to the point. Two sentences will suffice.

  • If it is an email application, please state clearly what the subject is; indicating it is indeed a ‘job application’ whilst also stating what exactly the job it is you are applying for.

  • Don’t repeat what is written in the resume. Only include additional notes which may be helpful to the reader, such as your personal circumstance and availability for an interview.

Are you looking for employment in the Asian food industry? Please visit our vacancies page

Peak Recruitment is the leading recruitment agency in Thailand. A human resource specialist, our pioneering methodology and commitment to deliver exemplary services has placed us first for executive recruitment in Bangkok. As a team, we offer a distinctive approach that you just won’t find anywhere else in Thailand. For contact information click here