How to write a successful CV with Microsoft Office 2010
CV Tips for Students and Graduates before sending your CV or resume, by
Software4Students.
Are you looking for a student job, an internship, or a first job? If you have no idea where to start when it comes to writing a CV,
Software4Students has some great tips to write a successful CV.
Software4Students can also help with free CV templates to guide you.
Using
Microsoft Office 2010 to create your Curriculum Vitae is a good start, and
by doing so, you will become familiar with the new features and capabilities of
Office 2010, which is a big advantage.
The presentation of your CV is far from being a mere detail. A document which is too long,
has paragraphs misaligned, or has inappropriate font can ruin everything... Here are some tips to avoid mistakes on your CV so that your application looks well, and will get you to that interview.
8 Mistakes to avoid
Mistake #1: Blocks of text too dense
Being presented with a big long paragraph with dense text is a put off for any reader. Admit it, you
won't even start to read it. What is true for you is also true for the recruiters who may move to another CV without even
considering your CV.The key word here is clarity. To facilitate the reading of your CV, break it up in the
Word document with line spaces and bullet points. Keep sentences short and concise. Use the graphic design trick of leaving plenty of white space (around text and between categories) to make sure the layout is easy on the eye.
Mistake #2: Poor font choices
In
Microsoft Word stylish Fonts like Lucida Handwriting, Papyrus, or Comic sans MS will seduce you.
Don't be tempted however, keeping it simple will work best. It is best not to take risks, so stick to the simplicity of Calibri, Verdana, Tahoma or Arial.
Choose a suitable font size between 10 and 12.
Mistake #3: An unstructured layout
The most common mistakes in presentation are due to the alignment of text and columns. A CV with bullets incorrectly positioned, paragraphs of varying sizes and bad lines breaks are something a recruiter will spot immediately.
Before sending your application through
Outlook 2010, make sure to always justify the text and check spacing of paragraphs. The layout shows a mastery of word processing software. This may be one of the criteria that will make the recruiter choose an application or not.
Mistake #4: Creativity uncontrolled
Do you want to stand out by offering an original CV? Unless you are applying for a creative position, it pays to keep it simple. Originality
can be a dangerous strategy. Recruiters prefer sober CVs than fancy ones. Fancy styles can be interpreted as having bad taste rather than making a good impression with your CV.
Use a template from
Office 2010.
Microsoft Word 2010 offers
CV Templates and cover letters.
It also has templates for job specific CVs making it easier for you to spend more time writing and less time drawing tables.
Mistake # 5: Extending the CV
Whenever
possible, it is better to reduce the CV to two pages. However reduced does not
necessarily means condensed. Always keep as much white space as possible.
You can change the setting page margins to
narrow to give more space. A common problem with CVs is the difficulty of getting
it all on to the maximum of two pages. One easy trick to help with this is to
reduce margins. To reduce page margins go to the print settings, then choose narrow
margins. This will make margins 1.27 cm all round, which is about the minimum
acceptable for a smart CV.
Mistake
# 6: Spelling Mistakes
One of the easiest ways to weed out weaker CVs is to
scan them for mistakes. With most employers experiencing massive volumes of
applicants right now, giving them the excuse to dismiss your application
because of avoidable errors is not going to help you secure an interview.
Always use a spellchecker in
Microsoft Word and ask someone else to proof your
work.
Mistake # 7: Bad format
If there
is one area in which you should not compromise under any circumstances, it is
the format. Usually a CV should be no more than two sheets of A4 paper. What
recruiters want is maximum 2x A4 and
nothing else. Recruiters spend an average of just 8 seconds reviewing a CV. Keep it punchy, to the point, and
save the longer details for the interview.
Mistake# 8: Printing issues
If you are presenting hard copies of your CV, take care of the
quality of printing, including lines of text cut in half, etc, due to lack of
ink. Keep your CV to two sides. It should look clean and tidy with
no frills or fancy attachments, and all the information should be clearly
signposted. If you are printing and posting your CV, stick to good quality
white paper.
These simple tips should ensure that you cut out simple mistakes
and put your best foot forward in your job application. After this, it’s best
of luck with the interview!!
Buy Microsoft Word 2010 and Download the CV templates today as part of Office 2010 for only £37.89 - limited time offer available as DVD or download.