Why Most CVs Get Ignored
Recruiters spend an average of 6–7 seconds scanning a CV before deciding whether to read further. That means your document needs to communicate value instantly — or it ends up in the rejection pile.
1. A Strong Professional Summary
The top third of your CV is prime real estate. Your professional summary (2–3 sentences) should immediately answer: Who are you? What do you bring? What are you looking for?
Example:
Results-driven marketing manager with 8 years of experience growing B2B SaaS brands. Delivered 3× pipeline growth through data-driven campaigns at Series B startups.
2. Quantified Achievements
- ❌ "Managed a sales team"
- ✅ "Led a team of 12 sales reps, increasing quarterly revenue by 34% YoY"
Aim to quantify at least 70% of your bullet points.
3. Relevant Keywords
Every job description contains keywords. Mirror them naturally — this is critical for passing ATS systems that filter CVs before a human ever sees them.
4. Clean, Scannable Formatting
Use clear section headers, bullet points, and white space. Avoid tables and text boxes when applying through online portals — they confuse ATS parsers.
5. A Tailored Job Title
Match your title to the role you are applying for. If there is a gap, bridge it in your professional summary.
6. A Core Skills Section
List technical skills, tools, methodologies, and the most relevant soft skills. Keep it scannable.
7. Education Correctly Positioned
Five or more years of experience? Education goes at the bottom. Recent graduate? Near the top. Always include degree, institution, and graduation year.
8. Certifications
List the certification name, issuing organisation, and year obtained. They signal commitment to your field.
9. A Link to Your Online Presence
Add your LinkedIn, GitHub, or portfolio URL. Keep it consistent with your CV.
10. Contact Information That Is Easy to Find
Name, email, phone, city, and LinkedIn at the very top — never buried in a footer.
The Bottom Line
A powerful CV combines strategic storytelling, keyword optimisation, and clean design. Upload it to TailorCV and get an ATS-ready version in under 60 seconds.
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