CV Tips
Learn here the best trips & tricks for a perfect matching CV

Nowadays, companies receive more and more resumes and therefore have less and less time to analyze in detail the different aspects that you will decide to write. In fact, recruiters usually spend about 20 seconds on a single CV. It is therefore important to differentiate yourself from the others at a glance. In order to help you write a CV that flashes at first glance, the corporate team offers you a top 10 list of tips and tricks to make your CV stand out from the crowd. 

Order it adequately 

Indeed, it is very important to order your CV by putting first what is most interesting. If you went to Harvard and you don't have any specific experience for the job in question, it is highly recommended to put your education first. On the other hand, if you have previous experience that is relevant to the job in question, put it forward. Be careful to respect a certain chronological order. 

 Make it seems international 

Today, companies are increasingly looking for future champions who can help or work internationally. It is therefore important to include this element in your CV. The first thing to do is to post your resume in English even if the job does not require it. One piece of information that should also be written "internationally" is your phone number. Indeed, putting +32 instead of the traditional 0 is highly recommended. 

 Add quantitative features 

As a matter of fact, nothing speaks louder on a resume than concrete numbers. With the wise use of key numbers, you can make a professional experience stand out much more easily than with words. However, it can be difficult to find numbers to put on an experience but believe me there are always some! For example, you can easily talk about the number of orders handled, the number of customers served, the profit you generated for your employer, the satisfaction rate, etc. The use of numbers will allow you to gain space, bring out the quantitative in your resume, attract the curious eye of a potential recruiter. 

 Be concise 

The writing of a CV is generally done in one A4 page and exceeding this standard format is generally frowned upon by potential recruiters for the sake of speed. It also shows a potential lack in your ability to summarize. It is therefore necessary, in order to be as efficient as possible, to select the important information to bring out. If you are applying to NASA, for example, the place where you did your primary education does not seem very interesting. If you are someone who has a lot of experience in terms of student jobs, don't hesitate to remove some of them from your resume to display only those that are of interest to the company. Nothing will stop you from mentioning them in your interview if the opportunity arises. 

 Picture? 

In Belgium and most French-speaking countries, adding a picture to the CV is common. However, a picture is considered as a discrimination tool in many English-speaking countries and is not recommended on the CV. If you apply to an international company based in Belgium or France, it is always better to ask an employee if it is good to add a picture. Finally, if you add a picture, show that you captured the mood of the company by using either a formal or informal picture.   

 Volunteering   

Aside from your professional experience and education, volunteering can show a lot about you. Whether you have spent some time volunteering abroad or led a group of scouts, don’t hesitate to enumerate your responsibilities and the skills you developed. Recruiters also look for people who got their hands dirty by participating in such extra-curricular activities.   

 Languages  

Nowadays, being able to master different languages is key to succeed in a more and more competitive job market. And many employers will test you during an interview to understand your level in the different foreign languages you mentioned in your CV. However, a common mistake is to badly report the different languages you speak in your CV. We advise you to use the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL) as well as making a distinction between the four competencies: listening, reading, writing and speaking 

 Hobby’s 

Mentioning your hobbies in your CV, which is a professional tool, may seem irrelevant and useless at first sight. But conversely, we think it tells as much information as the other section such as education or experiences. Do not miss this opportunity to differentiate yourself from the other candidates by exposing your passions.  

 Hard skills 

Even if it seems obvious to you that hard skills should be mentioned on a CV, do not forget any of yours. Being comfortable with computers and with the Office suite is often forgotten as we believe everyone has such skills. You could also mention any of the software you used in your studies, as we never know, maybe it is also used by your future employer. However, pay attention to be honest regarding your expertise level. 

 Introduction 

In English-format CV, it is a must to have a short introduction in which you describe yourself and explain what you are looking for. It is useful to catch the recruiter’s attention and to go straight to the aim of your application. This way, you are sure that, if everything goes well, you will be offered the right position at the right time.