How HR professionals read a CV

It is no secret that HR professionals go through your CV very quickly. Some studies even suggest that they only spend 10 to 20 seconds on each CV. They dedicate up to 80% of this time looking at a few specific areas.
The sections of most interest to them are:

• name
• current job title and the name of the company you currently work for
• period of activity in the current job
• job title and the name of the company where you worked previously
• period of activity in the previous job
• education

HR professionals spend the remaining time scanning for keywords related to their job opening.

Tips for a graduate's CV

It is natural that as a graduate you will not be able to list 10 years of in-field experience in your CV. However, it is necessary to mention any work experience acquired during your studies, volunteer activities, extra-curricular school projects, foreign internships, etc. All these activities show that you are active, reliable and have a positive attitude towards work.

Your graduate CV is the first and the last CV that will focus mainly on your education. Therefore you should list not only the name of the school but also the specialisation, title, purpose and a summary of results of your diploma or bachelor's thesis. Do not forget to mention any study awards you may have received. All this information can distinguish you from the competitors.

For a flawless CV be inspired by our instructions on how to write a CV.

Tips for a senior CV

After several years of experience there is no need to emphasise your education as you should focus on your career to-date.  Would you like some inspiration in the form of a CV written by experienced HR professionals? If so, simply download our sample CV.