How to Win a Recruiter’s Heart? 5 Tips From an Employer Brand Expert Point of View
Updated: Nov 5, 2021
Applying to a tech startup or a hi tech company? Your CV should be written in English
One CV is enough: Most communication in hitech companies, both verbal and written, is in English to begin with. Unless you are specifically required to send your CV in an alternative language, attach only one file in English.
Don’t mix and match: Be consistent. If you decide to add a cover letter, make sure it’s written in English as well. This rule is valid for both global and local hi tech companies.
Use a presentable picture
To photo or not to photo? That is the question! There’s a debate as to whether adding a picture to your CV increases or decreases the chances to move on to the next step. No matter which school of thought you subscribe to, if you do decide to use your picture, choose a recent and presentable one. It doesn’t have to be a photo that was taken by a professional photographer, but avoid using one from your wedding or one you took on your trip to Hawaii years ago.
Consistency is key. Use the same picture on all platforms through which you search for a job: your CV, your LinkedIn profile and also your Google account. Chances are, it’ll be easier for recruiters to remember you if they see the same face in all touchpoints.
Happiness is alluring. Smiling faces are attractive not only when finding a partner for life, but also when you want to nail a new job. Make sure to wear your best smile in your photo. (Pro tip! you can always use Lightricks’ Facetune2 if you want to retouch your current photo; whiten teeth, remove blemishes, smooth out skin etc.)
Make sure your CV has no typos
Double check your CV: Before sending your CV to any recruiter, make sure it is flawless. Go over the file at least twice at different hours of the day, and verify that you haven’t missed any embarrassing typos. You can use free digital writing tools like Grammarly or Hemingway to help you track grammatical mistakes / typos etc.
Consult with a Native English speaker: Ask a Native English speaker to go over your CV and point out any mistakes or typos. It can be a friend, a family member, someone you reached out to in a FB group or a professional you pay. Whatever you choose, make sure someone other than just you takes a deeper look into your CV.
Everything mentioned re your CV is valid for your cover letter, should you choose to add it to your email.
Your CV and your LinkedIn profile should match
Put your best foot forward: Take into consideration that recruiters who find you interesting enough won’t be satisfied with having a quick glimpse at your CV. They’ll want to know more about you; who you are, what other people say about you, what are your fields of interest and in general, getting any extra information they can.
Don’t put different feet forward: Do yourself a favor and make sure your current and past role titles on your CV match the ones on your LinkedIn profile. A slight change is not a big deal but you don’t want to be portrayed as inconsistent or sloppy.
Help the recruiter help you - create an easy to digest CV
Add a professional summary: When creating a resume, this 3–5 line section should be placed immediately following the header/contact information. This short summary is an introduction to you as the candidate while focusing on how you can help the employer. By adding this, you are immediately showcasing what talents and abilities you can bring to the table.
Use a graphic design platform that allows you to create visual content in a way that will be easy to digest. Canva is the most famous one, but a quick search on Google shows many other free tools as well.
Create white-spaces: If you choose not to use a designed resume template, create white-spaces. Remember that too much text is overwhelming to the reader and may even stop a potential employer from reviewing your information. Each page of the resume should have sufficient white space around all four sides of the document. Also, be sure not to push the margins to the edge. If and when a person prints the document, you want to make sure there are no technical challenges
Be concise: Not only kids, but also adults, have short attention spans. In fact, if they see large, bulky, and never-ending paragraphs, they are less likely to read your CV. When deciding how to format the information on your resume, put each phrase into bullet points.
Highlight the important things: Even if your information is in bullet format, it may still be difficult to quickly identify the pertinent skills and accomplishments that are important to a potential employer. If a bullet contains an impressive award or measurable accomplishment that illustrates your qualifications, then draw attention to this detail by bolding the text.
Use common fonts: Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) can have difficulty reading uncommon fonts. In addition, a human being may not find these fonts as easy to read. Instead, stick with common fonts such as Cambria, Calibri, Arial, or Times New Roman.