Tag: CV layouts

CV tips

How To Write A CV That Secures You An Interview

Posted on | by Excel Recruitment

Nikki Murran offers her expert advice on how to write a CV that actually gets you an interview

Whether you’re looking for something new or eyeing a promotion, your CV is your first chance to impress. But how do you make sure it doesn’t get lost in the recruiter’s inbox? Let’s break down how to write a CV that’ll have them calling you in no time.

1. Start with a strong introduction

Think of your CV summary like the opening lines of a conversation – this is your first impression. You’ve got about 30 seconds to grab attention, so keep it short and punchy. Skip the overused phrases (“I’m a hard-working team player”) and focus on what sets you apart. Highlight your top skills or recent achievements in a few lines.

2. Focus on achievements, not just responsibilities

Anyone can list their job duties, but it’s the results that matter. Instead of saying, “I managed a team,” outline the size and their accomplishments. The more measurable, the better. The goal is to show how you contributed to the company’s success, not just that you showed up.

3. Skills: What makes you stand out

Your skills section should reflect what you bring to the table – both hard and soft skills. Hard skills are technical (Excel, project management software, etc.), while soft skills focus on your people skills (think communication, leadership, and problem-solving). Tailor this section to the job you’re applying for, but don’t be afraid to highlight your unique strengths. If you’re particularly good at handling difficult customers or great at driving store standards, make sure it’s front and centre.

4. Education and training: Don’t underestimate it

Your education matters, but how much you go into detail depends on your experience. For recent grads, the education section should be near the top, with details on your relevant coursework, or standout projects. If you’re further along in your career, it’s fine to list your lead education level and move on – unless you’ve recently completed any professional certifications or courses, in which case, they deserve a mention. Continuous learning shows you’re committed to growing in your career, so don’t hide that.

5. Work experience: Tell your story

Your work experience is the heart of your CV. Instead of just listing job titles and responsibilities, frame each role as a story of growth and impact. Talk about the projects you led, the targets you overcame them, the wins you achieved, and the lessons you learned. Use bullet points for clarity, but keep it focused on the results. Highlight how your past roles make you the right fit. But don’t overdo it – keep it concise and avoid unnecessary details that could distract from your accomplishments.

6. Personal touches: Show a little personality

Yes, your CV should be professional, but a touch of personality can help you stand out. A line or two about your interests or hobbies can give employers a glimpse of who you are beyond the job title. Are you a marathon runner or an avid swimmer? Maybe you volunteer at a local charity? It’s not about fluffing space but giving the recruiter something to remember you by. Just be sure the personal info is appropriate for the job you’re applying for.

7. Formatting: Make it easy on the eyes

A well-organised CV is easier to read and more likely to get a second glance. Keep your layout clean and simple, with clear headings and enough white space to make it look less like a wall of text. Use bullet points to highlight your skills and achievements, but don’t overdo it – less is more. And please, no rainbow-coloured fonts or funky designs.

8. Proofread: Double-check before you hit send

Before you send off your CV, proofread it like a detective hunting for clues. Typos and grammatical errors are a big red flag, so read through your CV multiple times, and ask a friend to take a look. A fresh set of eyes can catch things you might have missed.

9. Make your CV count

Your CV isn’t just a document – it’s your ticket to getting noticed. With the right balance of professionalism and a little personal flair, your CV can be the key to unlocking the interview door. So spend time on your headline, showcase your achievements, and keep things clear and concise.

For more information call us on 01 814 8747 or email nikki@excelrecruitment.com.

CV mistakes to avoid

Don’t make these CV mistakes: Part 3

Posted on | by Editorial Team

In the final installment of his three-part series our CEO, Barry Whelan, outlines eight more errors to avoid so that your CV doesn’t speedily land in a recruiter’s rejection pile.

Excel Recruitment is 20 years old this year, so we have been recruiting for quite some time and over those years, we must have seen every CV mistake there could be! When it comes to CVs, first impressions last and whether it is a candidate or employer’s market, a large part of our jobs as recruiters is to filter CVs. On average, each recruiter only spends seven seconds scanning a CV to make the decision on whether to delve deeper or not. It is vital to avoid the mistakes that could mean the difference between acceptance and rejection.

Here are our final eight major errors to avoid:

Not filling in gaps

All the jobs you’ve listed on your CV need accurate dates, and you should avoid leaving any gaps unexplained as this is an immediate red flag for recruiters (I always ask, somewhat dryly, was the gap a spell in prison?). Gaps can signal that you’re unreliable, lazy or not detail-orientated. If gaps exist, explain them. Whether you took the time out for travelling, illness, maternity leave, a gap year, or just for some time to yourself, make sure you explain this clearly and honestly. If you were to make it to the interview stage, it’s very unlikely that the employer would ask you about it anyway.

Leaving out helpful information

While you don’t want to include a whole load of irrelevant information in your CV, you also want to make sure you don’t leave out anything that could potentially help with your application. Many people think it’s not a good idea to add the jobs they had while at university, for example. However, these types of jobs are often great for gaining soft skills such as teamwork and empathy. All our recruiters consider soft skills highly important, and these jobs also demonstrate work ethic.

Making it too technical

This is not industry or role specific. You should keep in mind that the person who gives your CV its initial read through may not necessarily have knowledge in your specific job area or be familiar with complicated industry terms. Therefore, you should try to make sure that you avoid using too much technical jargon. When listing your previous work experience, it may also be helpful to explain who each company is. They may be well known to your contemporaries, but a recruiter might not know why working for them is impressive.

Including a headshot

While including a headshot on your CV is standard in some parts of the world, in Ireland it’s not needed. Unless you’re an actor, it’s best to leave out the headshot, otherwise it will just make potential employers think you are egotistical or don’t have a good grasp of workplace professionalism.

Using an unprofessional email address

How many times have we seen these! Ticklytoes99@… You know who you are! (Honestly!). Some of us have made a quirky email address at some point, but it’s not a good idea to use it for work purposes. Your potential employers are unlikely to care that your email address is super-original or funny; they’ll be more interested in seeing that you understand the importance of professionalism.

Poor choice of file name

Please don’t just ‘save as’ and end up with a CV called ‘CV template’ or ‘CV first draft’! When the time comes to send your CV, be sure to use a polished and positive file name. Your potential employer will be able to see the file name in the attachments, so show how you are detail-orientated enough to have given the file a suitable and professional-looking name.

Not being cautious with social media

We advise including your social media links as a way to add another layer of depth to your application, providing more transparency in allowing potential employers to get to know you. However, if you do choose to add these links, make sure there’s nothing that portrays you in a bad light. Take the time to go through your pages and ensure there’s nothing embarrassing and if need be, change your privacy settings.

Not sending a cover letter

Always, if possible, send a cover letter. While you should aim to make your CV as complete as possible, you still need to add a cover letter for each application. It may seem like wasted effort, but avoiding it is a mistake. It’s your chance to go into more depth about your skills and experiences, and to show a little more of the ‘real’ you.

Please email info@excelrecruitment.com for more information or call 01 871 7676. You can check out all of our live jobs here.

CV Keywords

CV Keywords – What you need and what to avoid

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

Keywords, buzzwords, jargon. Whatever you call them, we here at Excel, see hundreds of CVs every day and know how important it is that certain words make an appearance on your CV, and that others are avoided.

The Good

Verbs

Verbs or ‘doing words’ are crucially important to your CV as they quite literally explain what you have done and the (positive) impact you have had with past employers. Using words such as managed, delivered, improved, reduced, negotiated, planned, supported, trained or resolved all show that you were an active employee in past positions and will quickly make an impression, hit the ground running in a new role and immediately be an asset to a new employer.

Job Titles

Don’t underestimate the power of the Ctrl+ F function and be careful when listing your previous job titles. Don’t just list random words and don’t invent a jargon-filled title to inflate the importance of a previous role. This is the one place on your CVs where it pays to keep it simple. If a recruiter is looking for a quick overview of your experience, they may search for specific job titles. To make sure you’re what they are looking for, look at the specific job ad you’re applying to. If it lists ‘Sales manager’ experience, don’t miss out by listing you last role as ‘Executive Team Lead, Sales’. You might think it sounds more impressive but it could mean your CV is overlooked.

Numbers

Get specific and don’t be afraid to discuss the nitty gritty of your successes. Use tangible examples of your achievements in previous roles rather than meaningless jargon. For example, “This increased profit by 2%” or “this led to a reduction in overheads from £23,000 to £17,000 per year.” However, as with everything on your CV keep in short, neat and concise and don’t go overboard.

The same goes for your education and training, everybody lists their common education history but don’t forget to list specific industry or technical training. Make sure that you list computer systems and tools you are proficient with by their industry-recognised name e.g Photoshop.

….. And The Bad

According to a survey by Career Builder, there are some words that employers see as pointless and just don’t want to see on your resume. There is nothing particularly wrong with them and they all mean well, but some phrases are just so overused they do nothing to distinguish a CV from the rest of the pack. Below are the words you should think twice about including on your C.V

  • Best of breed
  • Go-getter
  • Think outside of the box
  • Synergy
  • Go-to person
  • Thought leadership
  • Value add
  • Results-driven
  • Team player
  • Bottom-line
  • Hard worker
  • Strategic thinker
  • Dynamic
  • Self-motivated
  • Detail-oriented

Remember, first impressions count, so be a self-motivated, dynamic, detail orientated jobseeker who is results driven, thinks outside the box and invests in a Thesaurus.