7 Ways to Refresh Your CV for the Job Hunt

It's no one's favorite part of the job hunt, but refreshing your CV before you apply to a new position is a crucial step in your job search. "It is critical to dust off and revamp your CV before a job hunt because not only have you accomplished so much more, but you most likely have data to help quantify the impact you have made," points out Matt Dodgson, director of Market Recruitment. "Now is the time to look back and see how much of a positive change you made." By refreshing your CV, you can really show off "what skills you can bring to a new position," Dodgson explains.

With these 7 tips, you'll have your CV refreshed — and ready to wow — in no time.

1. Choose Your Keywords Deliberately

By now, you probably already know that most employers use computer software to scan CVs before they make their way to human eyes. (And even if they don't employ software, many companies rely on human resource professionals to act as gatekeepers.) "As a job hunter, you need to think like a marketer and optimize your CV," says Dodgson.

To do that, treat your resume like it is a "Google AdWords campaign," Dodgson says. How? "Look carefully through the job description, especially in the responsibilities and qualifications sections," Dodgson says. "Do you see specific tasks or tools that are required? If so — and if your skills meet that criteria — use those exact words."

You'll also want to "remove buzzwords like 'passionate' or 'goal-oriented,'" he says, "as those are turnoffs to hiring managers and recruiters; your CV should already relay your drive and ability to accomplish milestones without your overemphasis."

2. Quantify Your Results

When you list your accomplishments on your CV, use bullet points that "include the context, action and result of your actions," instructs Joseph Liu, career change consultant and host of the Career Relaunch Podcast.  If you do so, your CV will stand out. "So often, CVs are missing the result, or they only include qualitative results because the quantified impact isn’t known until some time later," Liu says.

When you're ready to refresh your CV, "go back to each of your bullets and try to capture the quantified result of your actions on your project, organisation, team or customers," Liu suggests. Use numbers and statistics when possible, which "allows hiring managers to understand exactly what impact you delivered to your organisation," Liu says, as well as the "potential future contribution you could make to theirs."

3. Make Your CV Top-Heavy

Dodgson recommends a top-heavy CV — or what he calls a "reverse Christmas tree" effect. "What that entails is making your latest role the most detailed section on your CV and then making each proceeding section shorter," he explains. To do so, "You may need to even remove experience from 10-plus years ago or [experience that] is irrelevant to the job for which you are applying," he says. "Real estate is precious on your CV — plus, you are most likely to get a job based on what you've most recently done."

4. Refine Your Professional Narrative

According to Liu, "Each accomplishment bullet you include on your CV shapes the professional narrative you’re telling about yourself." To refresh and reshape that narrative, "think about what skill you want each of your past roles to communicate," he says. "Then, once you’re clear on the professional arc you’re trying to convey, go back and populate each of your roles with the three to five accomplishments you feel reinforce the story you’re trying to tell." By taking the time to clarify your career narrative, you "help recruiters understand how you’ve developed and whether the role for which they’re hiring would be a logical next step for you," Liu explains.

5. Link to an Online Portfolio

Your CV will only reveal so much, and, as Dodgson points out, "hiring managers love to do research on top candidates." So, instead of sending recruiters and hiring managers on a social media goose chase, "direct them to a professional, personal website," Dodgson recommends. "Invest the time to create a comprehensive site that demonstrates your skills. On a website, you can include sections such as writing samples and testimonials that seriously build your credibility as a candidate."

6. Update Your Responsibilities

As you already know, each role on your CV should include your responsibilities, explain what you did and list your accomplishments. When you refresh your CV, "ensure the list of your responsibilities if fully up-to-date for each of your roles," Liu says. "This allows hiring managers to quickly understand the scope of each of your roles, and it also allows your profile to show up in relevant keyword searches."

7. Get an Outside Opinion

"Job hunters sometimes need to keep their search secret," Dodgson points out. But "as with any major presentation, practicing is highly recommended." In order to make sure your CV is telling the story you'd like it to, you may want to ask a friend or mentor to read it over.

"You've been so wrapped up in crafting the perfect CV that you may be myopic in your focus or have left out some key accomplishments," says Dodgson. "Reach out to a mix of people — those who know you well and those who don't know you very well. Ask that they read your CV for 30-60 seconds, which is the average amount of time a hiring manager will devote to the first scan. Then ask for constructive feedback. Specifically, ask them what they think your narrative is; what are some of your major accomplishments; and did you leave anything out."

If you find that their feedback "doesn't jive with your original thoughts, carefully think through the feedback and make adjustments to your CV as necessary," he says.