The Importance Of Regular Updates On Your CV

A CV, which is shortened from the Latin words Curriculum Vitae, meaning ‘course of life’, is an essential factor for showing potential employers when applying for a job, a fairly detailed glimpse into your professional path, often from the start of your journey up until now. It should offer an interesting summary in no more than a few pages (preferably no more than two - and yes, one page is perfectly acceptable!), your educational background, qualifications, working experience and skills and accomplishments - all with the aim of giving a clear and concise snapshot of your career so far.

It is very important to keep your CV fully updated, especially when you are asked to submit one to a potential employer when applying for a new role so you must go through it very carefully and identify any changes or updates that have occurred in your career. Employers are interested in up to date information and so you must be able to effectively showcase how your recent qualifications, experience, responsibilities and skill sets fully align with the job you are applying for. Your aim is for the interviewer or employer to want to offer you employment so whilst keeping the sentences brief, keep them detailed.

Your contact information may have changed so check if your CV reflects this. Has your email address changed, have you moved home or is your phone number still the same? If not then amend these accordingly.

If you have gained new qualifications or mastered new skills, ensure these are placed in the appropriate sections. Remember that previous employment needs to be in chronological order but starting with the most current and then going backwards. If you have had many jobs or have a long history of employment spanning back decades, most employers will not need to see everything in detail as they are usually interested in only the last ten to fifteen years. However, as this is not always the case, it may be helpful to briefly highlight skills and accomplishments that you learned prior to this time.

Employers receive vast amounts of CVs so it is important to make yours stand out for all the right reasons! Proofread your CV and do not submit it unless you are 100% happy with its content. Presentation is crucial so take time to present a perfect C.V. that shows fine attention to detail. Use colour sparingly but do use neat fonts, appropriate headings and highlight key words if needed.

Keeping your CV regularly updated will ensure that you are prepared for every professional opportunity that may present itself to you. Experts recommend that at least twice a year or whenever you achieve a significant career milestone, obtain a qualification, acquire new experience or develop a new skill.