Hello! I’m currently re writing my CV to try and make it stronger. Any advice with what to include in it or how best to phrase things?

Applying for junior artworker/designer jobs but trying to break in to the industry. It’s all a bit overwhelming trying to know what to write to make it stand out. Any tips would be very much appreciated!

Replies6

  • Hey Emma, I get sent quite a few CVs/Portfolios. There are some great tips below, a few things I would add are -
    *play around with the use of bold to pull out key points/words
    *make sure you spell check your doc! (You would be surprised)
    *someone is going to make a quick decision on whether the want to look at / read more so make sure you show off, include your top work first and call out any standout moments in your career (won X award, shortlisted etc…)
    *make sure your Linkedin is up-to-date, even when we have creatives contact us about work, I will always have a look on there in addition to their portfolio / website
    Hope that helps - good luck!
  • Hi Emma,

    I would say make it personal. You’ll be more likely to attract the recruiter’s attention if the CV reflects your personality, with your unique blend of “textures”, and if it sounds like you’re telling a story that’s genuine and can resonate with the company’s culture. As you don’t have a lot of experience to show off, it will be easier for them to bet on you knowing that you would be a great fit to the company because you already share their values and own the personal qualities that they’re after. This is something you can subtly integrate throughout your cv by placing strategic keywords not only in your bio, but also in the description of your past projects and even in your personal interests section. For example, if they’re is something you’re really passionate about in your personal space, find a way to highlight how this made you develop skills/qualities that are also valuable in the career you’re willing to pursue.
    Finally, I would say make sure your bio is clear and neat. They should be able to know who they’re dealing with straight away: who are you, what’s your philosophy of the job, who have you worked for/what kind of projects, where do you want to go and why, and finally how will you bring value to the company.

    Stéphanie Sword-Williams give some awesome advice about writing CVS and cover letters, I recommend to check out her work:
    F*ck Being Humble on The Dots! https://www.the-dots.com/pages/231101

    Best of luck!
  • I second @Vanessa Mosquera Cabanas, that session was extremely clear, useful and, most importantly, straight to the point!
  • Hey Emma, @Pip Jamieson just aked a similar question, and some of the answers I think might be helpful!
    https://the-dots.com/asks/do-you-hire-freelancers-full-timers-what-are-your-top-tips-for-successful-stand-out-job-applications-27798
  • Hi Emma, just this morning I was checking this, "A guide to creating the ultimate CV" , it's a recorded session from a General Assembly event, it might interest you :)
    https://generalassemb.ly/education/press-play-a-guide-to-creating-the-ultimate-cv/london/161969?utm_campaign=cwe_confirmation&utm_content=instance_confirmation_email&utm_medium=ga_email&utm_name=instance_confirmation_email&utm_source=core_cwe

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