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3 ways to... Boost your CV

Make your résumé stand out from the crowd with these tips from Niki TurnerHarding of recruitment consultants Adecco.

1 Tailor your CV

‘Always tailor your CV to the sector and role you’re applying for,’ she explains. ‘It’s important to cover not only your experience and responsibilities from previous roles, but also any soft skills you may have, such as time management, team work and communication, to show you’ll be able to work successfully within your team and the wider business. And use simple but effective action verbs that highlight your most valuable skills and

achievements, such as “created”, “launched” and “directed”, rather than less impactful words such as “helped” and “supported”.’

2 Include a personal statement

‘This should be a concise, purposeful statement, about 150 to 200 words long, that summarises your skills, strengths and experience, and highlights the key qualities that will differentiate you from other candidates,’ says Niki. ‘Include this at the top of your CV so that recruiters get a clear sense of what you can offer to a role straight away.’

3 Don’t forget the basics

‘It’s essential that your CV is error-free because grammatical errors and spelling mistakes give an

impression of sloppiness,’ she says. ‘Use spelling and grammar tools and ask someone to proofread it for you too. And many employers use social media to determine whether a potential candidate could be the right fit,’ she adds. ‘So ensure your LinkedIn profile is up to date, with a strong headline and summary page that contains the same key achievements included in your CV.’ For more tips visit adecco.co.uk.