How to write a CV and covering letter that will help you get an interview

With the job market more competitive than ever, standing out from the crowd has never been more important. Being successful in your job application requires more than relevant and transferable experience on your CV, and a well-written cover letter.

Employers today look beyond a candidate’s achievements and what they have to offer. We asked a number of our talent acquisitions experts from across the globe to share three tips for prospective employees on how to make their application stand out from the crowd. We can’t guarantee you’ll get the job, but we can help you optimise your chances.

Colin Dunn, Global Talent Sourcing, London

• Double-check your information (phone numbers, email addresses etc) is correct. One mistake is enough.
• If there is a covering letter, refer to the job specification and how your skills and experience are a good match.
• Every job application should have an appropriate CV and covering letter, so do a final spellcheck and proofread every time.
  

Céline Huguenin, Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist, Lausanne

• Be clear and concise: recruiters generally spend 30 seconds per CV, so they need to find relevant information immediately.
• Keep it short, but if your CV needs to be on two pages, that’s fine.
• Mention your key achievements in each role, in addition to the tasks you undertook.

Altyngul Karatleyeva, Supervisor Talent Acquisition, Otegen Batyr

• Make it unique and personal. Reveal your personality—some interesting facts and experiences about you. Work on structure, design, logos, images, to make an impact.
• Use short sentences and paragraphs with bullet points to make it readable.
• Do not use clichés or standard expressions when describing yourself. Be original!
  

Matthew Reeves, Talent Acquisition Manager, London

• Account for any gaps of unemployment.
• Keep your answers concise, targeted and relevant, and not overly detailed.
• Be honest regarding your willingness to demonstrate flexibility and travel.

Nataly Trister Ben Zeev, Talent Acquisition Specialist, Tel Aviv

• Decide what the key words are in the job description and amend your CV to show that you have a good understanding of the role and what is required.
• Highlight the technical skills you have that are relevant to the role in question.
• Provide a link to your LinkedIn profile to allow the employer to gain full visibility of your career progression and interests.

Now you’ve heard from the experts, you’re ready to start the next chapter of your career. Why not put their tips into practice and take a look at the roles currently available at PMI  to see if we have a role you would excel in?