Writing a strong CV is vital for connecting with your audience when you’re applying for a job.
Recruiters and hiring managers only spend up to 30 seconds deciding on whether a CV is worth reading! So, choosing what type of CV is just as important as choosing the content.
Well, first of all, did you know there are two main types of CV? And, if so, how do you know if you’re writing the correct one?
Reverse Chronological CV. This is the most commonly used and widely known type of CV. It lists your career from now and goes backwards up to 10 to 12 years. It’s a great way to clearly demonstrate how you have progressed in your career. It showcases your skills, professional development, training and promotions.
However, what happens if you are looking for a complete career change and you don’t want to automatically apply for the logical next step in your career. What if your current, or most recent role, has absolutely no relevance to what you want to do next?
Your Reverse Chronological CV is suddenly working against you and shining a light on a career you’re no longer interested in pursuing.
Functional CV. This type of CV is really growing in popularity as more and more people are considering a complete career change. This form of CV highlights and demonstrates your transferable skills and competencies rather than focusing on all the different roles you have done. It’s a fantastic way to shine a light on the skills you have in one career that can readily transfer in to another, new career.
The key to writing both a Reverse Chronological and Functional CV is to fill it with achievement statements rather than just a list of duties and responsibilities. It’s important to use lots of action verbs rather than telling stories.
If you would like to know more, check out and download my free CV Templates.
Don’t forget I offer a CV Review Service for just £15. If you then book a session with me to work on your CV you get to redeem the full amount off your first session!
Photo courtesy of Gabrielle Henderson UnSplash
