When you apply for a job, the hiring manager will open your profile to get an idea of who you are and what skills and experiences you’ll bring to the job. This is why having an up-to-date CV is essential to stand out from the crowd and increase your chances of being hired.
You can create and maintain a digital CV directly on your Coople profile. It's easier for you to update and easier for companies to review your background, so we recommend taking some time to fill it in. Read more about how to set up your digital CV here.
If you'd like to upload your CV as a file, we’ve put together some tips to help you create the type of CV that gets noticed:
Keep it short and concise
Hiring managers don’t have time to read, so make their job easy. One page is enough for every 10 years of experience. Two is the maximum number of pages that any CV should have. Use bullet points, and keep your sentences short for better design.
Put your most recent experience first
Make sure your CV is up-to-date. Always start from your most recent position. If you have just finished your studies and have no professional experience, start from your most recent education or talk about any voluntary or community experience you have.
Use action verbs and power words
Use actions verbs and power words that help you shine. It’s a good idea to check some of these words in employment sites like Muse.
Showcase results
Most people write a list of responsibilities they’ve had. While this is fine, we recommend you talk about the two or three most impactful results you achieved in each position. Add numbers if you can, they show what you've accomplished!
For example, instead of saying “I was responsible for sitting customers, serving drinks and offering them a unique experience”, you can say “I increased the number of recurring customers by 15% in 6 months. I did this by creating a strategy to deliver an excellent experience that included learning people’s names by heart and offering complimentary drinks to loyal spenders.”
Employment gaps are fine if you explain them
We all take time off work to take care of other responsibilities. If this is your case, make sure you explain your employment gap in a few words. Perhaps you became a parent, took a course, or did some volunteer work.
Check the spelling and grammar
Errors in your CV can affect your chances of being hired. Proofread your CV, ask someone you trust to help you, or use an online checker like Grammarly or Hemingway.
Format the style
Improve the way your CV looks to make it stand out. Hiring managers see the same type of CV every day, so if you can make yours look different, it might get their attention. You can use free CV templates from sites like Canva to help you.