How to design a stunning CV

If you want to land your dream job in the charity sector then you’ll have to successfully negotiate the recruitment process.

 

The chances are that there will be plenty of other people hoping to land that job, so if you want a recruiter to even consider you for the role, you’ll have to get their attention with an exceptional CV that makes you stand out from the pack.

 

And you’ll have to get their attention quickly: a 2018 study by Ladders found that recruiters spend an average of just 7.4 seconds scanning a CV before moving on to the next one.

 

 

Ten CV tips

 

Here are some tips for creating a CV that will help you get noticed instantly:

 

 

Keep to one page

 

Even if a recruiter decides to give you CV more than a cursory glance, they are not going to want to read more than a single sheet of paper. That means keeping your CV brief and, in practice, that means cutting everything but the most relevant information for the charity job for which you are applying.

 

 

Highlight appropriate skills

 

With limited room on a single page CV, highlight your skills which are directly relevant to the job. If the role is in charity service delivery then you may want to highlight that you are a good listener and that you have high emotional intelligence. For a fundraising role, you may want to highlight that you are a good organiser and a persuasive negotiator. The key point is not to waste space on skills that you won’t need for the job.

 

Exploit your CV’s prime real estate

 

The top half of your CV is the most valuable in terms of the amount of attention it will get. So don’t fill this part of your CV with dull information like your email address or where you live. Instead use this area to showcase your achievements, experience or skills which will be of most interest to charity recruiters.

 

Use infographics

 

Many charities use infographics in their websites for a very good reason: infographics are a great way to get all sorts of information across to charity supporters. Infographics are also an effective way to get information across to charity recruiters, such as where your areas of expertise are, or how much you have raised for charities you have worked for in different fundraising campaigns.

 

Match the design to the role

 

There are many different CV designs you could choose, so be sure to choose a design that fits the charity job you are applying for. If you are applying for a creative role then use your design choice to show you are creative. Equally, if the role is an administrative one then a more conservative design may be more appropriate.