The checklist of cv

Once you have finished writing your curriculum vitae, you need to review it and correct it if necessary. The revision phase is essential to avoid spelling and grammar errors, to check if the document is coherent, to verify that the layout, font and graphics are impeccable. Having a real list to consult when needed helps to keep the situation under control and to create a truly impeccable curriculum. Here are the ten checks to do before submitting a CV for a job position!

The CV contains useful and coherent information

A good CV does not include unnecessary information, does not get lost in small talk but can confidently convey essential information about the candidate. During the review phase, it is always necessary to verify that the fundamental data have been entered and that it is not lost in unnecessary frills. In addition to relevant school and professional experiences, it is always good to add your personal data and specifically telephone, email, address and full name. It is not necessary to add the date and place of birth or the photo.

The CV is the right length

A good resume should not exceed two pages and if it exceeds them it to say that we have focused on irrelevant and unnecessary details. It is essential to set limits when writing a curriculum vitae to avoid pulling out documents that no one will ever read because they are too long. The only exception to the rule is the Europass CV, which is much longer for a specific choice.

The CV is customized according to the job position

It is a good idea to personalize a CV based on the job offer you are applying for. Starting from a basic CV, it is good to process the information in such a way as to include only those that are really necessary and that are related to the job position for which you are applying: an engineer who is applying for a position as an engineer must not enter that he has followed a course as a pastry chef because the two sectors have nothing in common. Conversely, a pastry chef could enter an accounting course since he will have to take care of the supplies and accounts, in case he is hired.

The CV is cleverly written thanks to the keywords.

The personalization of the CV also involves the use of keywords related to the job offer that help to make the document relevant. In this way, if well formatted, the CV will be easily read and scanned by both humans and ATS software that are increasingly used for the first screening of candidates. Once ready, it is good to reread the curriculum vitae by looking for, and if anything by entering, the keywords also mentioned in the job advertisement or belonging to the semantic sphere of the job position.

The CV conveys an image positive of the candidate

Without ever lying, it is always good that the CV is positive, that conveys a clear idea about the candidate and his personality. To do this, avoiding leaving professional gaps between one experience and another could be a solution as well as relying on a type of functional CV, able to highlight experiences without aiming for the date. Do not forget the part dedicated to the personal profile, essential to briefly tell who you are and your professional aspirations.

The CV is impeccably written

Writing a CV is painstaking work and missing out on misspellings is not uncommon. To avoid being discarded even before being evaluated for your skills, we recommend that you read and reread the document looking for spelling and grammatical errors. It may be useful to have an external person read the document, able to judge impartially.

The CV is recognizable and unique

A good CV is also one that stands out from others: not only in terms of layout but above all in terms of information entered. In addition to the canonical ones, adding a personal touch to the curriculum vitae could be a winning move: hobbies, extra-professional activities, courses not necessarily related to work can bring out one candidate over another, even and above all with the same training and experience.

The CV is neat

When writing a curriculum vitae, you should always think that people will read it. Using a readable font but not excessively large, providing spaces between the various lines of text, adding a touch of color only if strictly necessary are all things that can make a CV tidy and easy to read. Always remember that recruiters receive dozens of CVs a day, and the ones that strike are not always the ones where the professional experience is excellent but also those that are easy to read.

The CV is in the correct format

The sending of the CV must be carefully considered and the best format must be chosen: we recommend the PDF format as it is easily readable and safe compared to the .doc format which can be modified and could present readability problems based on the software with the which one opens it. If you wrote your CV using word processing software such as Word, the file should be converted to PDF.

The CV has been named correctly

At the review stage and conversion of the document into PDF, follows the very last phase which is the one during which the CV must be correctly renamed in order to immediately communicate its value. By convention, one of these two formulas is used

• cv-nome-surname.pdf
• name-surname-cv.pdf

That allow you to send an orderly and easily understandable CV.

After having checked all the points on this list, you just have to choose the time and the best way to send the CV following any indications given by of the recruiter … and cross your fingers!

In summary

Once ready to be sent, these are the ten things to check before sending your curriculum vitae:

• The CV is consistent
• The CV is maximum 2 pages long
• The CV has been customized
• Strategic keywords have been included
• There are no spelling and grammar errors
• The CV is positive
• The CV is ordered
• The CV is recognizable
• The document has been successfully converted to PDF
• The CV has been successfully renamed