Writing a CV or resume can be a very time consuming process; researching, scouring your memory for the name of your old boss, chasing recommendations and querying start dates. When finally completed, it’s not a task you have the time to repeat. So that’s why you are still using the same tired document that you created four years ago – does this sound familiar?
If so, you could also be finding that whilst looking for a new role in Pharma and Life Sciences, hiring managers are calling you back less and less and job interviews are few and far between.
It doesn’t matter how impressive your experience might be, if your CV is out of date then it isn’t going to successfully sell your professional attributes to an employer. So, with high response rates and applicant tracking systems lurking behind every ‘Apply Now’ button, it’s more important than ever to send in an updated, modern resume or CV document.
Ready to update your CV? Here are our 8 top tips to help you to stand out against the competition.
Give your headline a new lease of life
Think of your headline as the calling card of your CV – it is likely the first thing your potential employer will see, so make sure it is clear so that you can be contacted easily.
- Your headline should include your contact information (First and last name, phone number, location and professional email address)
- For safety and data protection reasons, you may prefer to add your town or city instead of your full address
- Add a Linkedin profile if you have one, and if you don’t, set one up (it’s free!)
- Make sure your online profile accurately reflects your CV and is up to date
Include an overview or summary
Underneath your CV headline, make sure to include a brief overview which outlines who you are, what you do and what you can bring to the table. Make it short but impactful and show the Hiring Manager what they could be missing out on if they don’t invite you for interview. Just like the top fold of a newspaper, the top third of your CV is where the most important stuff should go. If an employer is reading your CV electronically this is the section they’ll see before deciding whether to scroll further down, so stay clear of filling it with your name and address in size 20 font – this space needs to be optimised for selling yourself, so don’t waste it.
- Keep it short and snappy. Don’t exceed 3–4 lines of space on your CV
- Stick to the basic formula: who you are, what you can offer and what your goals are
- Mention your professional title and experience in the first sentence
- Show passion, dedication and specialised experience
- Close by stating ongoing career goal
- Uses keywords relating to skills, experience and job title.
Use keywords that are relevant to the role
Most hiring managers use an Applicant Tracking System which is used to crawl digital CVs to find certain phrases or keywords required for their job role or relevant to the candidate they are looking for. Therefore, the more relevant keywords you are using within the body text of your CV, the better chances you have of the recruiter finding your CV and inviting you in for an interview.
- Tailor your CV to your ideal job title to show that you’re professional and engaged
- Use the job ad as a cheat sheet to help you focus on what the hiring manager is searching for
- Google industry keywords that are relevant to positions that interest you
Reform your formatting
When updating your CV it is important to think about how it looks, as well as what it says. Avoid large blocks of text and try to break up the content into sections to make your CV easy to scan.
- Set all margins to 1” on all sides of the page
- Make sure the sections within your CV are clear and easy to spot for hiring managers
- Choose a layout that is simple and elegant
- Save your CV as a pdf unless the job ad says otherwise – this will ensure your formatting, layout and fonts will not change when opened on another computer
- Make sure you save your CV with a professional file name – you’ll be surprised by how many ‘CVtemplate1.pdf’ files arrive in inboxes
Freshen up your fonts
The font you choose to use is one of those little changes that can go a long way. Just like fashion, fonts change over time so make sure your CV is moving with the times.
- Pick a sleek, modern font that’s easy to read. Georgia, Arial, or Verdana are a few good choices
- Use 12pt for the body text
- Raise to 14-16pt for your section headers
- Stick to only two fonts – anything more can look unprofessional
- Go bold to emphasise headers or keywords that are relevant
Quantify your achievements
Your work experience section does a lot of the heavy lifting in your CV and is often the first section a Hiring Manager looks at. Remember, recruiters may have 100s of CVs to search through so make yours easy for them to read quickly. The layout and language needs to be clear, concise and to the point. A gigantic wall of text makes it difficult for someone to digest quickly, which will put you at a disadvantage.
- Use bullets points, instead of long sentences to make your work experience stand out more
- Use up to 6 bullets for your most current job and then whittle it down to 3-4 for previous roles
- Use numbers and quantifiable achievements instead of words when you can – numbers really make things stand out and draw attention
- Grab the recruiter’s attention with action verbs and power words
- Delete any work experience history that isn’t relevant – The ideal CV length is two pages, so space can be limited
- If you’ve been in the workforce for several years, you may not need to list every job you’ve ever had when writing a modern CV. Most professional CV writers recommend going back 10–15 years at most
Show off your skills
The skills section of your CV shows employers you have the abilities required to succeed in the role and is the perfect addition to both highlight relevant keywords and showcase experience. Think of a skills section as a highlights reel. Pull out all of the most important skills from your work history and list them clearly.
- Use a bullet point format on the first page of your CV, above your work experience
- Ensure your best skills are at the top
- Pepper keywords from the job description within this section to give your CV ATS-appeal
Take advantage of free CV builders
Take advantage of free AI CV builders
If you are struggling with the look of your CV, resume building tools such as Zety can be really helpful. They make it very easy to give your CV a more ‘designed’ feel and are simple to use.
All you need to do is upload your word document and choose a template! This will make your resume look more modern, professional and eye catching.
- Choose a sleek, modern CV template
- Tailor it to the industry you’re interested in
- Stick to muted, calm colours such as blue, grey or green
- Download both word doc. and pdf. files so that you can retain both for future use
An effective and memorable CV can be achieved by following these three stages:
- 1. Make sure your existing skills and experience are presented in a clear, succinct manner
- 2. Update any new roles and skills – including any volunteering help or digital learning
- 3. Boost your employability
De-clutter the content
Most people try to keep their CV down to two pages long, but this becomes increasingly difficult after several roles and an abundance of skills – deciding what to cut out quickly turns into a bit of a nightmare. If you’re looking for more space try to condense down old skills and qualifications. Listing all your GCSE’s or breaking down each university module becomes less important the further you progress through your career. Aim to keep educational work to a two-line maximum.
If you’ve been working for more than 15 years, condense down or remove completely any work prior to this. Qualifications for things that are no longer relevant (such as out-of-date first aid certificates) can also be ditched. And that summer shop work or time you spent interning at your local newspaper 20 years ago may no longer be relevant.
Be personal
The easiest option when trying to decide what to delete from your CV would be any personal interests and hobbies – after all, being a keen baker or helping out in a charity shop in your spare time won’t necessarily correlate with the skills needed for your dream role. However, future employers will want to see that you do have a life outside of work, as this will give them a sense of your personality and whether they feel you’ll be right for the team.
If you’re really struggling for space, try condensing down your personal attributes, but never remove them completely.
Dump the clichés
You might be a dynamic problem solver with excellent team-leadership skills, but so is everyone else who’s applying for the role. To stand out from the crowd banish the clichés – this will eliminate the waffle from your CV and make your skills and achievements really stand out. If you must use clichés, don’t overdo it.
Fill in the gaps
Just as you might be brushing aside old skills, you also need to look at adding in the new ones. Even if you’re content in your current role it’s important to add these new skills to your CV as you gain them – this will save you time and stress if/when you come to look for a new job.
Revisiting old jobs might jog your memory of skills you may have acquired but not used lately. Make sure to highlight any that may not be relevant to the next role you apply for.
Check, check and check again
Every time you add something new to your CV you increase the chance of making a mistake. Proofread the document at least twice before sending it out (or saving it away for the future) and, if possible, get someone else to cast their eyes over it – two eyes are better than one!
Looking to interview within Pharma or Life Sciences?
Established in 2006 by ex-industry professionals, Carrot has become one of the most highly regarded and trusted recruitment partners within the Pharma, Biotech, and Med-Tech sectors, spanning North America and Europe. Our business is structured to support clients across the full product lifecycle, from development to commercialisation and everything in between, with dedicated recruitment teams working exclusively across 14 separate functional areas. Register your vacancy with us and we will be in touch to find out more bout your requirements.
