Let’s all agree that “adulting” is not as glamorous as it seemed in our teenage years. Leaving school and entering the working world is stressful and very often, disappointing. Jobs are scarce and most of the time the salaries are worth peanuts, making it extremely difficult to make a comfortable living. This is why, when taking on a career or applying for a job, we need to apply ourselves ten times harder so that we are noticed among the masses to become the “chosen” one.

It all starts with you Curricula Vitae, or CV for short. A CV is an application that will (or will not) grant you access to the daily grind. The quality of your CV and the effort you put into it is definitely viewed as a depiction of who you are, and where you would like to go. So, do not regard this step in your career too lightly, since these pieces of paper have the opportunity to open doors, or if taken for granted, these bright and shiny doors could possibly be shut in your face.

This means that completing your CV is as important as the education that brought you to this point, you need to put thought and effort into it. When an employer receives a CV, they look out for certain things, things that stand out from the rest of the pile. We did some research and here are the top three things that get’s your application placed on to the “good” pile.

Three Things That Your Curricula Vitae Should Include:

1. Uniqueness. Yes, start by downloading a template from the internet, but then go the extra mile and edit it to suit your personality, as well as to compliment the type of job you are applying for. For instance, if you are applying to be a kindergarten teacher, add a splash of colour or a festive border. If, however the position is more on the corporate side, stick to bullet points, sharp corners and get straight to the point. Let the employer suss you out by the presentation of your CV, before he or she even reads it.
2. An entrance. Avoid boring intros with specifics from your past. Your potential employers want to see where you are going, not where you have been. Start with an intro paragraph that bursts with enthusiasm and determination. This will catch the eye of the reader and encourage them to read further, with more consideration at that.
3. A peek into your personal life. You do not have to expose your entire living to your interviewers, but adding some personal tidbits does intrigue the reader, and often makes them feel more connected with you. On the last page add a section on what you like to do in your spare time, your strengths and weaknesses, and where you see yourself heading. No matter how corporate the corporate world is, the human connection will always still be there. 

These three things are a MUST for a CV and will help students who have just completed their tertiary studies to make that first mark or step into adulthood. No matter what qualification you boast or how much experience you have, and employer is not interested in finding out about you if your application for their position is drab or is done halfheartedly.