Essential CV Tweaks: What to Add and Remove to Land Your Dream Job
5 Important things to ADD
Tailored Professional Summary – Craft a tailored professional summary or objective at the top of your CV that highlights your most relevant skills, experience, and career goals aligned with the job you’re applying for.
Summary of Technical Skills – A separate section detailing your technical expertise such as coding languages, software, and many more that’s relevant to the job you’re applying for.
Keywords from the Job Description – Incorporate relevant keywords from the job description into your CV, particularly for technical and soft skills. Many companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that scan for specific keywords.
Leadership Experience – Even if you haven’t held formal leadership roles, showcasing instances where you’ve managed teams, projects, or initiatives helps demonstrate leadership potential.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) or Metrics for Past Achievements – Whenever possible, quantify your achievements “Increased sales by 30% over 6 months”. This makes your achievements more tangible and impactful.
5 Things you have to REMOVE
Irrelevant Job Experiences – Only list job roles that are directly related to the position you’re applying for. Remove jobs from many years ago that don’t contribute to your qualifications.
Unnecessary Personal Information – Personal details such as your date of birth, marital status, or Social Security number are not needed in modern CVs. They may even lead to unconscious bias or privacy concerns.
References to Age or Graduation Dates – Avoid mentioning your age or graduation dates, as these can lead to potential bias and don’t add value.
Unnecessary Academic Details – Once you have a degree, you don’t need to list your high school diploma Focus on your higher education and relevant training.
Unprofessional Email Address – Use a professional email like for ex. yourname@gmail.com. Avoid unprofessional or gimmicky email addresses.
Why do you have to do this?
Because refining your CV is essential for standing out in a competitive job market.
By adding relevant details like a tailored professional summary, technical skills, keywords from the job description, leadership experience, and measurable achievements, you demonstrate your qualifications and align your CV with the job requirements.
On the other hand, removing outdated or irrelevant information such as personal details, unnecessary job experiences, and unprofessional email addresses ensures your CV remains concise, focused, and professional.
These tweaks help you pass through applicant tracking systems (ATS), make a strong impression on recruiters, and ultimately increase your chances of landing your dream job.