Transcription
In this training video, I will teach you how to write a brilliant CV or resume that will get you hired. If you are applying for any job role with any company or organization, make sure you stay tuned because the tips and sample template I am about to give you will help you succeed.
And just very quickly, if you are new to my channel, make sure you hit that subscribe button, give the video a like, and tell me the name of the job you are applying for in the comment section below the video, and I will give you some extra tips to help you be successful.
Okay, let's get straight into the training video. Okay, to help you write a brilliant CV or resume, I will cover the following three things in this video. Number one, I will tell you what a CV or resume is used for in the hiring process. Once you understand what it's used for, it will definitely increase your chances of success. Number two, I will tell you the seven mistakes you must avoid when writing a CV or resume in 2025. Things have changed this year, and you need to make sure you don't make any of these seven mistakes. And finally, number three, I will tell you the six sections you must include in your CV or resume to ensure it gets noticed.
To begin with, let me explain what a CV or resume is used for in the hiring process. Well, it's used to determine which candidates have the following things: the skills, the knowledge, the qualifications, and the experience to match the job description. Now, here is a really great tip to help your CV or resume get noticed. Make sure you use keywords and phrases from the job description in your CV or resume. So, when writing your CV or resume, have a copy of the job description in front of you because those candidates that are able to match the job description in their CV or resume will definitely get invited to a job interview.
In this next section of the training video, I will tell you the seven CV and resume mistakes you must always avoid. If you make any of these mistakes, you will not get invited to an interview. Make sure you write these down. Mistake number one to avoid is spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors. If your CV or resume is littered with errors, then it will get rejected because that tells the hiring manager you lack the communication skills to meet the role's demand. So, make sure there are no spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors in your CV or resume.
Mistake number two is not making your CV or resume ATS friendly. What does ATS stand for? Well, ATS stands for Applicant Tracking System. Lots of organizations now use an ATS system to assess, automatically assess CVs or resumes to make sure they are suitable for the job description. And as we progress through this training video, I will teach you how to make your CV or resume ATS friendly.
And mistake number three is not tailoring your CV or resume to the job. Now, this is a common mistake. Lots of candidates create one CV or resume and then they apply it to lots of different job roles. If you do that approach, you are less likely again to get past the applicant tracking system. You must make sure you tailor your CV or resume to the job you have applied for.
Mistake number four is not using keywords from the job description. A great way to get past the applicant tracking system is to take keywords and phrases from the job description and include them in your CV or resume.
Mistake number five is to create an underwhelming personal statement at the start of your CV or resume. You have to write a powerful and impactful personal statement. Very soon, I'm going to give you a brilliant example for you to write down, so don't be afraid to sell yourself in your personal statement.
Mistake number six is making the CV or resume too long. I recommend you make it a maximum of two to three pages. And mistake number seven to avoid when writing a CV or resume is using an unprofessional email address that will put off the hiring manager. For example, let's assume I was applying for a job with your company and you saw that email address, which was my contact, coolguy2593@gmail.com. That type of email address is unprofessional. Avoid it at all costs.
Okay, in the next section of this brilliant training video, I'm going to tell you the six sections to include in your CV or resume. I recommend you use these six sections to get past the applicant tracking system. Again, write these down.
Section number one of your CV or resume is your personal details. Here is what to include. Put down your full name. Next, put down your cell or mobile phone number, and make sure there is a professional-sounding voicemail on your phone. If the hiring manager calls you to invite you along to an interview and there's an unprofessional-sounding voicemail message, they will probably hang up. The next thing to include in your personal details is a professional email address, and then you might decide to include your LinkedIn profile. Now, this is optional. You don't have to include a LinkedIn profile, but if you do, again, make sure your LinkedIn profile looks professional. And if you want to know how to create a brilliant LinkedIn profile that will help you get hired, you can click the link in the top right-hand corner of the video at any time. And the next thing to include is your location where you actually reside. Now, that can be the city, state, or zip code, but avoid putting down your full home address.
CV or resume section number two is the personal or professional summary. Now, this is one of the first things the ATS system or hiring manager will read about you, so don't be afraid to sell yourself, but make sure it is exactly that: professional and free from errors or mistakes. Now, the professional summary is a brief, keyword-rich paragraph that summarizes your experience, skills, and key achievements. Make sure it is approximately 100 words in length. Now, the professional summary I am about to give you is actually 91 words in duration. And here is another important tip: I recommend you do not use artificial intelligence or ChatGPT because lots of candidates do that, and they all read the same. Make sure yours is authentic and it matches the job description. Don't forget to use keywords from the job description.
So, here is a brilliant example professional summary: "A highly motivated and commercially aware professional with a proven track record of collaboration, problem-solving, and selfless teamwork in fast-paced environments. Recognized as Employee of the Month for consistently delivering exceptional customer service and contributing innovative ideas that have directly enhanced sales and business performance. Adept at thinking creatively to find solutions while maintaining a detail-oriented and self-disciplined approach to tasks. Passionate about driving positive change and continuously improving team efficiency, customer satisfaction, and business outcomes. Committed to fostering a culture of teamwork and innovation and ensuring both individual and collective success." That is a brilliant professional summary that is free from mistakes and errors, and it is loaded with keywords and phrases that will match any job description.
Section number three of your CV or resume is your professional experience. I recommend you list the jobs and positions you have held in chronological order, with your most recent position first on the document. Here's what to include: the job title, the company name and location, and the dates of employment. So, you can include the month and the year that you started and the month and the year that you finished that particular employment. So, make sure you use bullet points with key responsibilities you held and also your accomplishments. And also make sure you use action verbs and also include keywords from the job description.
What do I mean when I say action verbs? Well, action verbs are incredibly powerful to use on a CV or resume. So, let me give you an example. Professional experience section three. So, this is for someone who held the role of customer service assistant. They will put down the company name, XYZ Company, and the dates of their employment, so that would be March 2020 until December 2021. So, they put their responsibilities here: "Responsible for delivering outstanding service to increase sales and customer retention." And here is the action verb: "Achieved an 11% increase in sales for a new company product launch." Now, action verbs are absolutely crucial for helping you get hired.
So, in the next section of this video, before we move on to section four of your CV or resume, let me give you the top 10 best action verbs for CVs and resumes. Write these down.
Action verb number one is the word "Led." So, the word "Lead" shows leadership, initiative, and the ability to guide a team or a project to success. So, an example statement for your CV or resume would be: "Led a cross-functional team of 12, increasing productivity by 25%." So, action verb number one is "Led."
Action verb number two is a brilliant one, and that is "Implemented." Now, "Implemented" means you demonstrate the ability to put plans into action and drive forward results. So, here's what to include on your CV or resume: "Implemented a new customer service process, reducing response times by 40%." And you will see where possible, I am using numbers, and that will definitely help grab the attention of the hiring manager and help you get through that applicant tracking system. So, action verb number two is the word "Implemented."
Number three is the word "Achieved," which we already used in section three when I demonstrated previously. So, the word "Achieved," the action verb "Achieved" highlights measurable accomplishments and success. Here's what you can write: "Achieved a 30% increase in sales through creative upselling techniques." Action verb number three is "Achieved."
Action verb number four is the word "Optimized." This is a great one. So, the word "Optimized" shows the ability to improve processes, efficiency, or performance. Here's what you can write: "Optimized workflow procedures, reducing project turnaround time by 20%."
Action verb number five: "Spearheaded." I love this one. So, this word demonstrates initiative, innovation, and leadership in projects or company changes. So, you could write this: "Spearheaded the launch of a new marketing campaign that generated $5,000 in revenue." Action verb number five: "Spearheaded."
Let's take a look at number six, and that is "Resolved." What does that mean? Well, the word, the action verb "Resolved" indicates problem-solving and conflict resolution skills. So, you could write this: "Resolved 90% of customer complaints on the first call, increasing satisfaction rates." Action verb number six is "Resolved."
Let's take a look at seven. Action verb seven is "Increased." This is a great one. This demonstrates growth, improvement, and the fact that you can have a positive impact on your team. You could write this: "Increased client retention by 35% through personalized customer engagement strategies."
Action verb number eight is "Developed." So, this means that you have the ability to create new strategies, solutions, or products and services for the company. You could write this: "Developed a new training program for new company hires that improved efficiency by 20%." Again, you can see I like to use numbers because that definitely enhances the action verb and also proves that you can have a positive impact on the company.
Action verb number nine: "Streamlined." This is another great one. So, if you streamline something, it shows efficiency, process improvement, and operational effectiveness. You could write this: "Streamlined internal reporting systems, cutting data entry time by 50%."
And action verb number 10 is "Generated." This is a great one. So, this demonstrates the ability to drive revenue, engagement, or new opportunities for your employer. You could write this: "Generated $75,000 in new business by recommending the company advertise their products on social media." So, there's 10 brilliant action verbs you should consider using on your CV or resume.
Section four of your CV or resume is your education background. Here's what you need to include: the qualification name or the subject studied, the university or educational institution that you attended and its location, and also the date that you graduated or if you are still studying, put "in progress." So, section four is education.
Section five of your CV or resume is where you list your skills. So, I recommend you list technical, job-specific, and also soft skills. And I recommend you use industry-specific keywords to help optimize for the applicant tracking system. So, let me now give you some examples of technical, job-specific, and soft skills. I will put them up on the screen, and all you have to do is decide which ones you are going to include in section five. Here we go.
Technical and job-specific skills: Microsoft Office Suite (so that would include Excel, Word, or PowerPoint), Google Workspace (which is Docs, Sheets, and Slides), project management skills (and that could be Agile, Scrum, or Waterfall), search engine optimization, digital marketing (which is your ability to use Google Ads or even Facebook Ads), social media management (which means that you can manage the company's social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, or even TikTok), content writing and copywriting, cloud computing (which is AWS or Google Cloud), graphic design work (which means that you are proficient in the use of Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, or even Canva), video editing, and also e-commerce (which is Shopify, WooCommerce, or Magento). So, that's a great list of technical and job-specific skills you could include in section five.
Let's now move on to soft skills. Choose any of these soft skills for section five: problem-solving and critical thinking, leadership and team management, adaptability and change management (change management is a great one to include in section five), communication (both verbal and written), collaboration and teamwork, emotional intelligence (is a great one that will definitely help you to stand out), time management and organization, conflict resolution and mediation, decision-making and strategic thinking, and also customer service and client relations. Again, choose any of those soft skills to include in section five of your CV or resume.
And section six of your CV or resume, before I tell you where you can download my readymade ATS-friendly templates, is certifications and awards that you have achieved. Here's what to write down: the certification or award name, the issuing body or organization, and the date that it was earned. So, here's some examples for you: Microsoft Office Specialist (the awarding body would be Microsoft), Digital Marketing Certification (which could be a Google Digital Garage awarding body), Train the Trainer Certification, and also Customer Service Excellence Certification (that might be awarded by Udemy.com, for example). So, those are the six sections to include on your ATS-friendly CV or resume.
Okay, the next thing to do to accelerate your learning even further and make your life as easy as possible is click the link right now in the top right-hand corner of the video. Head straight through to my website, to passmyinterview.com, and you can instantly download my seven resume and CV templates. These are fantastic. Here's what you get: you will get the seven easy-to-edit resume and CV templates in your inbox, literally within two minutes from now. You can then create your resume in less than five minutes. The readymade resume templates are suitable for all job roles. They are proven resume and CV structures that are recognized by applicant tracking systems and all hiring managers. So, you get instant access to all seven templates by clicking that link in the top right-hand corner of the video.
Please make sure you hit that subscribe button, give the video a like, and also make sure you connect with me on LinkedIn. I have put my LinkedIn link in the description below the video. It is always an honor and a pleasure to connect with like-minded professionals such as yourself. Thank you very much for watching, and I wish you the very best for getting hired. Have a great day.