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CV Advice

On average, it takes eight seconds to decide whether to continue reading a CV or to bin it. Here's how to capture and keep the reader's attention in those first vital moments.

At the risk of upsetting 'Fahrenheit 9/11' director Michael Moore, I'd like to propose that anybody about to write their CV should give a tip of their hat to Tony Blair and George Bush.

In recent times, prime ministers and presidents have placed great emphasis on the impact they can make during their first 100 days in office. It's a period of heightened interest for the media and the voters, and a good strong launch can create a positive impetus for the remainder of their term of office. The same principles apply when you're putting together your CV. So, how do you go about grabbing and holding the reader's attention in those first eight seconds?

The fact is, if you can't convince the reader that you're well worth an interview by the time they're midway down page one of your CV, it's unlikely they'll read much further. Think of the first half of page one as your prime selling space. Your aim should be to try to feature all of your major arguments for being interviewed in that space.

Writing a CV isn't like writing a novel where you slowly tease and intrigue the reader, building gradually to a compelling climax. With a CV, your impact must be frontend loaded. There's no point in introducing a new and compelling piece of information halfway down the second page of your CV, as chances are the reader won't reach that point and so it won't be noticed.

So, what's the best information to put on that first half page? Well, virtually all recruiters expect to see your name and contact details at the top of the first page. Not just your name, address and home telephone number, by the way. You should also include your mobile number and an email address, as these are good indicators of your technological literacy.

After your contact details, I'd recommend including a two- or three-line profile statement. We'll go into more detail about profiles elsewhere, but for now think of it as a sixty- to eighty-word précis of what you have to offer that would make you a prime contender for the position you're going for.

By the time you've included contact details and a profile statement, you should still have around a half to two-thirds of that first half page still available to you. What follows the profile will vary according to what elements of your background and experience most closely match what the recruiter is looking for. If they're trying to recruit somebody who can do A, B and C, then you'll need to show explicit evidence of your attainments and experience at doing A, B and C. If this evidence can best be shown in your current/most recent role, then you'll probably want to go straight into your career history. If, on the other hand, you need to draw on your broader career and experience to prove your competence at A, B and C, a section called something like Key Achievements or Key Skills & Experience would suit your purpose better.

The recruiter is only likely to read on beyond this first portion of your CV if they're convinced you explicitly meet the specification they're recruiting against. This is therefore not the time for subtlety. Above all, don't rely on the recruiter to draw inferences from the information you provide. Concentrate on filling that first half page with as much relevant information as you can, paying particular attention to addressing the job and person requirements that the recruiter has stated. Given this, it goes without saying that to feature a piece of information that the recruiter is likely to regard as irrelevant is a definite no-no.

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