Your CV’s job is to present you in the best light, and it is constantly a work in progress. Sometimes, it can be difficult to identify when your CV is out of date, and what exactly to do to make it more current. Not true I hear you cry! You update your CV when you get a new job! Sadly, if you are only updating your CV when you get a new role, you could be missing out on opportunities. Due to a countrywide labour shortage, recruiters are increasingly having to headhunt for vacancies, and whilst you may be happy in your current role, who knows what awaits you out there!
You’re not getting interviews
It’s a tough pill to swallow but sadly there isn’t a more obvious red flag. Your CV is the first thing a recruiter or hiring manager sees when reviewing applications and is the initial deciding factor as to whether you are a good fit for the role, so regularly updating your CV is definitely worth your time if you’re applying for jobs and not hearing back.
It stretches too far back
Does your CV have your part time job that you had when you were in secondary school on it? If you have had several roles since then, it’s probably time to axe it. Hiring managers do not want to have to sift through outdated information. Omit the role from 10 years ago and make sure to focus on your latest jobs; give the most information and detail for the more recent ones and less for the ones further back.
Took on a significant project? Received praise for something you did?
A new role is not the only way that your position can change. If you were entrusted with a significant project for the company, or receive some high praise on a assignment you completed, add it to your CV! Demonstrate the skills and progress you have learned at your role, proving that you are constantly evolving.
You are returning from a break in your career
Many of us face an employment gap whilst raising a family / traveling / caring for an unwell loved one, and when you are ready to renter the world or work the first step is to rewrite your CV. It is important to include the reason for the gap in your CV but also to include any transferable skills you gained during that time period. Read our article on what to do if you have a break in employment on your CV.
If you’ve found after reading this article that your CV could do with some updating, do it! You don’t know about the available opportunities out there, and by doing something as simple as renovating your CV could land you your dream job.
