The Dos And Don'ts Of Writing The Experience Section On Your CV

Crafting a compelling CV is an essential step in landing your dream job. But how can you articulate your experience and background, to increase your chances of securing an interview?

A number of studies have shown that employers spend very little time deciding whether to put a CV in the yes or no pile, with some suggesting just six seconds is the average. It’s clear you need to keep your CV concise, so here are some top tips for ensuring yours makes the right impression.

Do:

Be specific: you should provide the details of your former roles, but keep it short and sweet. The company name, your role title and a few important responsibilities are enough to convey your history.

Include achievements: you’ll want to add in any awards or achievements you have earned – and be sure to quantify them with any relevant numbers or statistics. This gives context and credibility to your employment history.

Tailor it to the role: for each job you apply for, you need to customise your CV to suit the specific role that is being advertised. Always look through the job description and mirror any qualities that match – be honest, but tactical about how you present yourself as the best fit for the role.

Personal development: the experience section of your CV is a great place to add any personal development courses or achievements. This shows the recruiter you’re dedicated to progression and is highly valued by employers.

Proofread carefully: be sure to proofread your CV a few times before sending it. You could ask a friend or family member to check it over for any spelling mistakes or use an AI-powered assistant. Some people also swear by changing the font or printing it out in order to better notice any mistakes.

Don’t:

Over exaggerate or lie: everyone wants to put their best self forward on any job application, but it’s important to avoid embellishing your experiences or qualifications. Misrepresenting yourself can damage your credibility and even if you land the role, you may suffer consequences such as dismissal or loss of trust when the truth is discovered later.

Use jargon unnecessarily: unless you’re applying for a niche role which specifically requires you to reference knowledge of little-known terms, it’s best to avoid using jargon. Striving for a readable and accessible CV will leave a better impression than stuffing in lots of industry-specific terms in an attempt to impress.

Include irrelevant information: whilst your potential new employer does want to know what grades you achieved in school, they probably don’t need to know about a first aid course you took ten years ago that was only valid for three years. Focus on what is most applicable to the role you’re interested in to keep your CV streamlined and focused.

Neglect formatting: nobody wants to read a full page block of text, so when creating your CV, formatting for readability is crucial. You can use a premade template or create your own design, but be sure to use bullet points and section your CV into easy-to-navigate sections. This keeps it visually appealing and also allows the recruiter to quickly scan the information they need.

Invest the time in making a great CV

A CV is often the first impression you make to a new employer, so be sure to invest the time and effort into making sure it is a winning one.