When you apply for consulting roles, your CV will be the first thing that the recruiters see. According to a 2018 study conducted by Ladders, recruiters spend an average of 7.4 seconds looking at the CV that might have taken you weeks to perfect. You need to make each of those 7 seconds count by submitting a CV that is properly structured, impactful and that ensures you move on to the interview phase.
There are countless CV layouts and formats that you can use, but for jobs in consulting the rule is the simpler, the better. In this article you will find six tips on how to perfect your CV.
1. List your achievements, not your responsibilities
When listing jobs that you’ve had in the past, do not copy and paste the list of responsibilities from the job description. Instead, list your achievements. Focus on specific numbers that showcase your contribution. Try to quantify the outcome that your work produced. For example, instead of saying “managed numerous staff” you could say “managed a team of 15 professionals, including junior and senior researchers, associates and interns”. Instead of saying “led a marketing project worth $30,000” you could say “led a $30,000 marketing project which increased revenue for the client by 15% annually”.
2. Personalize your LinkedIn URL
When you open a LinkedIn account, it will produce a general URL for your profile. Something along the lines of: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-doe-937324728/. While you can certainly place this as your LinkedIn URL on your CV, it is much better if you simplify the link by following these simple steps:
- Go to your personal profile.
- On the top right corner click “Edit public profile & URL”.
- In this section, you can personalize your URL to something simpler and more elegant, such as https://www.linkedin.com/in/doe-john
3. Create a crisp and clean format
You CV should be one page, with an absolute maximum of two pages. If you have less than 5 years of work experience, one page should be enough.
Create a clear structure for your CV including three main sections: Work Experience, Education, Skills & Interests.
In the third section, you can include your language skills, tech skills, volunteer activities, and any other relevant items you want to mention.
4. Send it as a PDF
In order to fit all the information in one or two pages, you can play around with the margins of the page. However, this can create problems when the recruiter tries to print your CV. Even worse, if you send your narrow-margined CV in a word file, the layout may change once the HR person opens the file. Hence, make sure to always submit your CV as a pdf.
5. Check for spelling and grammar mistakes
Make sure your CV is error-free. Imagine receiving a CV that reads “momager” instead of “manager”. People often look at their own CV dozens of times, but it can be easy to miss these easily detectable mistakes. To avoid this, ask family, friends, or a career officer at your school to proofread your CV.
6. Tailor your CV for every job
Given the hundreds of applicants that apply for a single job, you have to tailor your CV to the job that you are applying for. Carefully read the job description and try use the same words in your CV. Some companies use software that automatically moves candidates to the next phase if their CV contains the words used in the job description. Hence, by mirroring their language, you increase your chances of getting to an interview.
In conclusion, applying for jobs can be a difficult and nerve-wracking process. Take some time to tailor your CV for each application. The recruiter will quickly form a first impression of you based on how your CV looks and its content. Make sure your CV has a concise and clean format including a personalized LinkedIn URL, no photos or errors, and send it as a PDF.
Tringa Krasniqi holds an MBA degree from The George Washington University. She is the founder and consultant at Ivy Journey, an educational consulting firm for gaining admission to universities and winning scholarships.
Image: Pixabay
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