If you want your internet vacancy application to stand out from the others, to get your CV read, and put forwards for the vacancies you are interested in then there are some things you can do - or not do - to get you to the top of the pile. 
Definite no no's are :
This applies to applications generally but if you are applying for a legal post, where it is generally expected that you have a good eye for detail, are methodical and a good communicator, this immediately suggests that you are not up for the job.
We have already advised in our previous IT article, that you check and check again. Don't just rely on spell check (although it does really help if you run one) as it doesn't pick up that you have, for instance, used here instead of hear or to instead of too but it will pick up the misspelling of liaise, which is one of the most common words we see mispelt on CV's we receive.
Too little information about what you do in your job or too much. Recruiters will have a good grasp of what you day to day work involves but if you give a bland list of duties, such as drafting correspondence, diary management, research of law, this tells us nothing about which area of law you work in and does not highlight what you are good at, your accomplishments in the position, cases you have been involved in or billings you have recorded, all of which prospective employers are keen to hear about.
Inaccurate dates or none at all. We don't include dates of study on the CV we send to prospective employers but we do like to be able to tie dates of study in with your career history and do need dates of employment, "from and to". The absence of dates only serves to raise concerns about consistent work history and you may be passed over on that basis. Gaps in employment can usually be readily and justifiably explained, ideally in the cover letter or email to the recruiter.
Wrong or missing contact information. If you have given us an email address which doesn't work very well, an old mobile number, have got the numbers of your telephone number jumbled or don't give any contact information at all, we can't contact you. Double check all your contact information. It is helpful to know when you can be contacted by phone/email and we always need your postal address too.
Fancy boxes around your text, flash formatting, and different colours are lovely - don't they look great? But they can make it difficult for us to scan your details and can look very different by the time the document has been uploaded and received in our inbox. We recommend that you keep it simple, using a plain font, such as Ariel, without fancy tables or text boxes.
Stick to a most recent to oldest chronology of work and educational history. The most salient information should then be right where it needs to be, at the top. Focus on what the vacancy you are applying for requires and tailor your CV, or at least your covering letter, to what skills and experience you have which match.
Long CV's and chunky paragraphs, with lots of 'also's' are not only difficult to read but time consuming and recruiters do not have the time to read every CV received in detail, unless they are concise and to the point. Every word your write counts.
Don't apply for vacancies for which you don't have the qualifications or experience needed. The job may seem attractive and the pay great but if you don't have the skills and experience needed your application will be an all round waste of time. Look at the job description and ideally highlight, or bullet, all you can offer, which ties in with the job description.
Recruiters are inundated with applications and have to limit the time available on each. Otherwise, they would not have time to make applications to clients, arrange interviews and confirm offers. Any personal information, which is not directly linked to the position can give the wrong impression and will take away from the point of the CV.
Using this as a guide, get your CV ship shape and be choosy about the vacancies you apply for. If you have a good CV, you will find that a recruiter will consider you for other appropriate vacancies without you having to apply on line for each and everyone. Once you are registered with the consultancy, you will have the opportunity to build a rapport with your consultant and they will be able to "sell you" in the best possible light.
Definite no no's are :
- Spelling Mistakes
- Typing errors
- Poor Grammar
This applies to applications generally but if you are applying for a legal post, where it is generally expected that you have a good eye for detail, are methodical and a good communicator, this immediately suggests that you are not up for the job.
We have already advised in our previous IT article, that you check and check again. Don't just rely on spell check (although it does really help if you run one) as it doesn't pick up that you have, for instance, used here instead of hear or to instead of too but it will pick up the misspelling of liaise, which is one of the most common words we see mispelt on CV's we receive.
Too little information about what you do in your job or too much. Recruiters will have a good grasp of what you day to day work involves but if you give a bland list of duties, such as drafting correspondence, diary management, research of law, this tells us nothing about which area of law you work in and does not highlight what you are good at, your accomplishments in the position, cases you have been involved in or billings you have recorded, all of which prospective employers are keen to hear about.
Inaccurate dates or none at all. We don't include dates of study on the CV we send to prospective employers but we do like to be able to tie dates of study in with your career history and do need dates of employment, "from and to". The absence of dates only serves to raise concerns about consistent work history and you may be passed over on that basis. Gaps in employment can usually be readily and justifiably explained, ideally in the cover letter or email to the recruiter.
Wrong or missing contact information. If you have given us an email address which doesn't work very well, an old mobile number, have got the numbers of your telephone number jumbled or don't give any contact information at all, we can't contact you. Double check all your contact information. It is helpful to know when you can be contacted by phone/email and we always need your postal address too.
Fancy boxes around your text, flash formatting, and different colours are lovely - don't they look great? But they can make it difficult for us to scan your details and can look very different by the time the document has been uploaded and received in our inbox. We recommend that you keep it simple, using a plain font, such as Ariel, without fancy tables or text boxes.
Stick to a most recent to oldest chronology of work and educational history. The most salient information should then be right where it needs to be, at the top. Focus on what the vacancy you are applying for requires and tailor your CV, or at least your covering letter, to what skills and experience you have which match.
Long CV's and chunky paragraphs, with lots of 'also's' are not only difficult to read but time consuming and recruiters do not have the time to read every CV received in detail, unless they are concise and to the point. Every word your write counts.
Don't apply for vacancies for which you don't have the qualifications or experience needed. The job may seem attractive and the pay great but if you don't have the skills and experience needed your application will be an all round waste of time. Look at the job description and ideally highlight, or bullet, all you can offer, which ties in with the job description.
Recruiters are inundated with applications and have to limit the time available on each. Otherwise, they would not have time to make applications to clients, arrange interviews and confirm offers. Any personal information, which is not directly linked to the position can give the wrong impression and will take away from the point of the CV.
Using this as a guide, get your CV ship shape and be choosy about the vacancies you apply for. If you have a good CV, you will find that a recruiter will consider you for other appropriate vacancies without you having to apply on line for each and everyone. Once you are registered with the consultancy, you will have the opportunity to build a rapport with your consultant and they will be able to "sell you" in the best possible light.
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