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It is common knowledge that CVs are both marketing tools as well as passports to getting an interview for that role you've been aiming for.

So here are some useful tips for you to consider when drafting and/or updating it:   

DO  

  • Keep it short — one or two pages is ideal if you have up to 8 years' experience, if you have more than 8 years' experience, 3-4 pages is the maximum. Any experience that occurred more than 10 years previously can be listed without any narrative, just setting out the organisation, job title and dates will suffice.  
  • Keep it concise and well written. 
  • Create a separate appendix after the CV to set out more detailed narrative, e.g. for corporate or real estate lawyers, a representative deals list; for litigators, a representative case list. With an appendix or schedule, if you have the quality of deals or cases, it's acceptable to add 2-3 pages to your CV. Don't put in "run of the mill", routine matters in here, this should be reserved for major achievements such as reported or very high value or complex cross-jurisdictional cases or something that demonstrates major complexities (for litigators), or in the case of corporate or banking and finance deals, high profile clients and high value deals.   
  • Include your personal details (including your mobile telephone number and personal email address)
  • Arrange your education, qualifications and employment history in reverse chronological order.  
  • Tailor your CV or resume for a particular role to strengthen your chances of being considered for interview.  
  • Always carry out spell-check and grammar checks as typos are never impressive. Both recruitment managers and hiring managers will question your attention to detail.  
  • Stick to the same font type throughout to ensure consistency in style.  
  • Include all your work experience although for well-experienced professionals, there will be no need to include internship experience.
  • Remember to sell your strengths and key achievements where appropriate.  
  • Include skills such as driving or IT skills and/or qualifications as well as voluntary work experience and hobbies. 

DON'T  

  • Don't use tables in formatting your experiences, even hidden tables. For recruiters, it makes formatting your CV difficult. 
  • When creating a document, keep to either Word or Google Docs whose content can easily be updated and moved around when tailoring the document to a job. Whilst new software such as Canva offer an almost limitless array of CV/resume template designs, not only does this feel unfamiliar to the person reviewing your profile, they may not even see it as their recruitment software will not pick up relevant key words in your CV. 
  • Never leave gaps in your CV if they are for more than three months. It is better to include a short description regarding gaps (such as studying, travelling, career break, taking care of family members etc).  
  • Don’t lie on your CV or insert misleading information.  Apart from losing credibility with the potential employer, you may also lose a job offer or even a job (if the information is not verified through reference checks after employment).  
  • Don’t put your CV in a folder or bind it together as some companies may wish to photocopy it and/or include it into their filing system.  
  • Don't include your work email or work telephone number unless you are happy to be contacted there and it doesn't endanger your current position at work, but really, do you want your boss or colleague to know your job hunting activities?  Is it appropriate?  
  • Don’t use fancy colours and fonts which tend to distract rather than attract recruiters.  
  • For junior level applicants, don't include a large number of internships — participating in 5 or 6 internships doesn't increase your chances of getting a job.  Employers will look at the quality of organisation and internship experience you gained, and having that many internships will make employers question whether you have a well rounded personality (where your time could have been spent participating in other activities, such as travelling, getting involved in charitable activities or working other industries). If you can show you have spent your time during your year out or during university vacations wisely, 1 internship will be enough. In fact, having a completely irrelevant internship, even a legal one, such as an internship with a human rights law firm when you are applying for an internship or training contract with a US top tier corporate law firm, could lead the reviewer to query where your true career ambitions lie.  
  • Don’t squeeze too much information into the CV – there should be plenty of margin space and white space between paragraphs to avoid looking cluttered and to also allow interviewers to write their comments.

If you would like to explore other opportunities, please contact our experienced consultants at enquiry@staranise.com.hk or telephone (852) 3460 3531.