On the lookout for a new job/first job/literally any job? Is your CV a block of Times New Roman typed up in a Word document? The ’90s might be chic right now, but 1998 belongs in your wardrobe, rather than your curriculum vitae (except for parachute pants which belong nowhere). There are new CV rules, and they operate in a world where people make replicas of themselves out of Lego and print their skills and experience on tee shirts. A man once used a business card made of actual meat for God’s sake. In the race to entertain that poor HR person sifting through mountains of CVs, it’s time to throw out the rulebook and start thinking outside all of your boxes.
To help sort you out, we called in Lisa LaRue, expert CV-ist and career development consultant at CareerWorx for the lowdown on making your CV original without going way too far (i.e. tattooing it onto a dog and throwing it through the CEO’s window). We've also included a handy risk factor to make sure you keep things in check (see previous bracket regarding tattooed dog).
Old rule: Using Times New Roman
New rule: Not using Times New Roman
If you’re still TNR-ing then your CV needs to take a serious look at itself in the mirror. First impressions are just as important for resumes as they are for people – you wouldn’t go into a job interview with the hope that your interviewer opens the door and goes 'oh GOD another one I’M SO BORED,' right? So don’t do this with your font.
'Times New Roman is definitely uncool and a sure-fire way to bore the reader instantly,' agrees Lisa. She reckons you should go for something a little more 2014. A natty Sans serif, perhaps. Stay away from Word Art though. And Jokerman.
Risk factor: 0
**Old rule: Keep it standard. Maybe use those weird floral bullet points when feeling fruity.
New rule: Be creative, depending on the industry
While corporate jobs shun wacky CVs, try adding a tasteful lil somethin’ (i.e. a coloured bar to separate various sections isn’t exactly mental and really makes a difference), but you should definitely think about really expanding your CV horizons if you’re heading for the creative industries. 'Although the general rule is to steer clear of graphics, colour and quirky designs, there is a place for these in all of the creative industries, where the employer is looking for someone who can think laterally and come up with fresh ideas,' says Lisa. From marketing and product design/development to PR, journalism and advertising, research the company’s personality and get creative accordingly. For example, if applying for a magazine job, why not mock your skills up in the style of their front cover? 'Anything that makes your CV speak the language of the company and fits the role you are applying for is a good idea! Doing something a little bit different that helps the employer visualise you in the role is a great way to establish a connection and build a bond,' agrees Lisa. God knows that HR person will be thankful for it.
Risk factor: 2 (a coloured bar and a tasteful header) to 5 (wearing your CV as a hat and back flipping into the HR department)
**Old rule: Videos are for movies, not CVs
New rule: Videos are for movies AND CVs
Obviously it’s a risk because, what if there’s a mirror behind you reflecting something embarrassing (a load of mess! The fact you’re nude from the waist down!) – but they can work really well as a hyperlink to support your more traditional CV. 'Definitely go for it if you think you can put together an engaging, fun yet professional video CV that shows you’re an ideal fit for the role,' says Lisa. 'Check out some examples online, taking note of what you think works and what doesn’t.' It’s a good way to show an employer what you’re actually like because, let’s be honest, everyone looks the same on a piece of paper.
Risk factor: 4
Old rule: Name, address, qualifications, statement, skills, experience
New rule: experience, experience, experience
'Oh wow, that’s her address? And she got 12 A*s at GCSE?' - said no employer ever. Instead, they want you to get straight to the experience bit because that’s going to give them the best idea of what you’re capable of. 'The most successful CVs in today’s job market are those that get to the point, quickly and clearly demonstrating what you have to offer as a potential employee,' says Lisa. 'After your name and contact details, include a brief personal statement or go straight into a skills summary, a bulleted list of your key skills that closely match the position you are applying for.' Qualifications, contact details, DOB, all that stuff can go at the bottom after you’ve knocked their socks off sideways. Oh, and there’s no need to have your name taking up a third of the page either – you might think it looks impressive but, in actual fact, it just looks… big.
Risk factor: 1
Old rule: Use lots of words like “passionate” and “go-getter”
New rule: Anyone can do that. Don’t tell them, show them.
Buzzwords are so doneand examples are way more important, so why not combine the skills section with the experience section? Rather than listing how driven and dedicated you are, demonstrate it so they’re left with no doubt – rather than a lot of potential hot air. 'You should only use adjectives that truly describe your character and abilities. If you feel you really are ‘passionate’ and a ‘go-getter’ think about how you can describe these attributes in a sentence,' says Lisa. 'Demonstrate these traits in your experience section by including really good descriptions of your responsibilities and achievements.'
Risk factor: 2
Old rule: Printing it out
New rule: Digitalize
Why not go fully digital? Instead of listing examples, you can link directly to them and add in any creative stuff like videos or infographics to demonstrate your sophisticated digital literacy skills. Word of warning, though: 'Yes, employers like to see digital and computer literacy but be selective in what you share. Don’t include examples of your work for the sake of including examples, make sure those examples you share are of the highest quality or they can do more harm than good.' Run it by friends, families or lovers and road test it roughly 20 times to make sure links aren’t broken, etc – but do make sure you’ve got your experience and skills in the main body of the CV, regardless of the format. 'All the employer wants to know is can you do the job, will you do the job and will you stick around – they might not have time to look at all your cool stuff.'
Risk factor: 2/3
**Old rule: Don’t bribe them **
New rule: Bribe them
It’s not unheard of for people to send cookies, flowers and multi-platformed gift boxes in order to supplement their resumes and flat-out bribe people into hiring them. While it makes you stand out, you’ve got to be totally sure that it fits with the company or industry you’re looking to get into. And don’t offer them money/your house. 'At first glance, baking a cake for a potential employer looks like a cute idea, but there is a risk you could come across as a) desperate, b) creepy (who knows what’s in that cake?). If, on the other hand, you’re an award-winning baker vying for a coveted in-house writing role at a popular baking magazine this could be a winning strategy,' explains Lisa.
Risk factor: 5
There are, however, some things that still aren’t quite OK:
QR codes
You know, those weird fiddly square boxes that people scan with their phone and stuff is supposed to happen but when you scan it nothing ever does. If you format your CV as a QR code, what if your employer doesn’t have the right app on their phone? Or can’t be arsed? 'When they first arrived on the scene, QR codes were hip and were to be the next big thing in CV land. The truth is, employers don’t have time to mess about,' Lisa says. People want things that are immediately right in front of them, or made of chocolate. There’s no real in-between.
Watermarks, or a photo of yourself on your CV
Bit sad. Bit upsetting. 'Watermarks are definitely out, they have no place in a CV. Photos too are to be avoided unless you are putting yourself for a role in television, theatre, music or modelling where appearance will be a determining factor,' explains Lisa. The only exception to this rule is watermarks of your own face, which work whatever industry you’re trying to get a job in. This is a joke, obviously.
GIFs
Unless you’re applying for Buzzfeed or Upworthy. 'CVs ideally shouldn’t contain any graphic images. They can play havoc with recruiter/HR department CV scanning software and affect your chances of being shortlisted for an interview,' agrees Lisa. Graphic images being images that are graphics – not, like, explicit NSFW stuff. That’s fine (again, joking).
Blackmail
Yeah, that’s illegal.
Risk factor key:
1 - Do it now, grandma ffs
2 - Bit out there, but it'll help your CV stand out from the masses
3 - Really creative. Judge the tone, though (might not suit uber-dry corporate places)
4 – WHOA M’LADY. Risky but might very well pay off (definitely not for uber-dry corporate places)
5 - YOLO/FIWN (aka Fuck It Why Not) (will cause uber-dry corporate places to implode)
For more great CV-writing tips, check out GoThinkBig.co.uk for straight-talking careers advice
Lisa LaRue is a career coach and runs CareerWorx a London based career coaching and CV preparation company.
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.