Anna Ross, the founder and director of Kester Black, an Australian-made cruelty-free nail polish, has reviewed over 2,000 job applications. As a designer, her eye goes first to the layout. When it comes to simple vs highly visual CVs, Anna says you really need to consider your audience. Is it a creative job? Then here is a chance to show off your skills.
‘A CV can say a lot about someone’s attention to detail! When you have 150+ CVs to look though (very standard these days) you want yours to be clear and readable,’ explains the recipient of the 2016 Young Victorian Telstra Business Women’s Award.
A key way to ensure your CV is read, Anna adds, is to avoid putting too many generic job responsibilities under job duties, instead keeping the points succinct, giving three to five for each, with maybe a few more for your most recent or most relevant jobs.
Her top tip, however, is really about dedicating enough time to create a stellar application: you need to keep your CV up to date, and always send it with a tailored cover letter. ‘I won’t look at a CV without a cover letter, and I won’t give an interview if that cover letter is generic,’ tells Anna, who recommends this website for helping you write up your CV efficiently.
And then, backing yourself goes a long way too – Anna once applied for her dream job, and got a very quick ‘No’ response. ‘I emailed them back and said, although my CV skills weren’t great, I felt like I was the right person for the role,’ she recalls. ‘They said, “Ok come In for an interview” and after interviewing 19 people, I got the job!’
