Substance abuse in CV writing

A great CV is not the CV that looks fabulous; the one based on an aesthetically-pleasing CV template: it is the CV that shows that you will be an impactful employee and that you will work well with the team.

Of course, it is a much more attractive proposition to spend your CV preparation time moving things about, underlining words, italicizing sentences, being bold with the bold, but, if this is done to the detriment of the real work – analysing who you are, what you have to offer, where you can be of most benefit, what kind of team you will work well with, what kind of culture will suit you best, what are your strengths, what is your purpose in the world of work, what have you been doing for the past 10-20 years – then style will play a very poor second to substance. And, even if you do manage to get all of the above substance into the CV, be sure not to then overwhelm it with overly elaborate fonts and features.

(Of course, creative/artistic roles adhere to different rules but, in reality, not too many are lucky enough to be applying to such roles…)

There are lots of examples of super awesome, “creative” CVs on the web.. Check them out. Then read them from a HR/Hiring manager’s point of view and see if you think that style can win over substance when writing a CV.