09 Oct 2019
Every restaurant wants to fill tables and get as many 5-star reviews as possible. If you have a track record of raising standards and getting coverage in the press, the recruiter will definitely want to know about it.
Explain what you accomplished in each of your previous roles in a dedicated ‘Achievements’ section. This is where you can show off a bit. Remember, your achievements are especially powerful if they can be backed up with numbers and measurable facts. Customer satisfaction, return rates, review averages and inclusion in Best Restaurant lists are all great to mention.
You don’t need to take up too much space with this. A couple of sentences underneath each previous job role will be plenty.
Recruiters and employers are always busy, so they spend a surprisingly short time reading CVs. It’s too much to expect a reader to pay attention to every detail, even if your CV is full of good stuff.
If you can communicate the best things about you in 10 seconds, your chances of getting an interview are much greater.
The top third of your CV
This is the first thing a reader will look at. It’s important to convince them you’re the right person for the role immediately.
Name and contact details
Just the essentials: name, location, phone number, email.
Professional profile
2 short paragraphs about yourself, your experience level, your specialties and what kind of role you’re seeking. This should be a confident, positive, informative introduction to you and the work you do.
Core skills
What you’ve learned and perfected over the years e.g. menu development, food hygiene, kitchen management and communication skills.
Generic CVs are a lot less impactful. When a recruiter or hiring manager reads your CV, they should be able to see what you can bring to the role and why you would be a good fit for them specifically.
Read the job ad and description carefully, making a note of the skills and experience the employer is looking for. If you can bring any of these qualities to the role, make sure your CV mentions them in the appropriate places.
Your core skills section is the best place to signpost essential skills. The reader will see you have the right experience in the first few seconds and keep reading to find out more about you.
It’s not essential to have a super stylish, unique CV. It’s much more important to have a CV with a readable, easy-to-follow structure.
Our brains are quickly tired and confused by wordy paragraphs, long sentences and a lack of space. When you’re presenting essential information to an employer, use different formatting, font sizes and spacing in the right places. They’ll take the information in quickly and remember it when you come in to interview.
Bullet points - list quick facts and key skills.
Bold/italics - signpost headings and important information.
Spaces and dividers - make different sections and subjects clear.
Font sizes - nothing says ‘look at this’ like size 14/16 in a sea of size 11.
Colours - headings will pop out even more. Make sure it’s dark and easily readable!
All four of these fixes can be added to your CV in no time at all. When it comes to applying for a new role, you’ll be able to quickly swap out different skills and add or remove detail where it’s most useful and meaningful.
Small, but impactful CV edits will make a huge difference to how recruiters and employers see you as a candidate.
Andrew Fennell is the founder of CV writing advice website StandOut CV – he is a former recruitment consultant and contributes careers advice to websites like Business Insider, The Guardian and FastCompany.