How to write a brilliant CV

Writing a stand-out CV, especially at the start of your career, can be a challenge. Get advice from two CV specialists, Human Resources Managers Regina Patebex from DFS Group and Josephine Nivot from LVMH Watches and Jewelry / Tag Heuer.

How important is a CV?

Regina: Very. It’s like a business card. It’s your first contact with your possible future employer. Its aim is to make us want to know more about you.

Josephine: Exactly. And that’s why it’s important you tailor your CV to each job offer. The idea isn’t to have just one CV, but a CV to match each job you’re applying for.

How long should it be and what should it include?

Regina: To start with, it should be no longer than 1 page, the classic length. This is the first challenge, because you’ll need to fill it up. You don’t have to include information exclusively about your professional experiences when you’re starting out. Chances are you won’t have had much of it. But young people always have a passion for something, and this needs to come across.

And what if you’re changing career paths?

Regina: Ironically, if you’re looking for a career change, the 1-page limit is your first challenge too, because you’ll need to condense your experience to fit it all on the page. The key here is to focus on the experiences that brought you up to this point in your working life.

Josephine: That’s right. And whether you’re just starting out or changing careers, one concrete thing to include on each CV is a title, which includes the position you’re applying for, followed by a short introduction about yourself.

What other details should your CV include?

Josephine: Dates. You should always mention the month and the year that your experience started and ended. And ideally this should be presented chronologically, so that the recruiter can get a good idea of your experience in one glance.

Another element to mention is your language proficiency. But don’t demonstrate it with a star system, which is totally subjective. Instead concentrate on any diplomas you may have – for instance the TOEIC or the TOEFL. Or you can indicate your level of ability with terms such as, basic, conversant, proficient, fluent, native speaker or bilingual.

Should you list your hobbies?

Josephine: Hobbies are a little more complicated. It depends on their relevancy to the job. If you’re a motorsports fan and you’re applying for a position at TAG Heuer, for instance, then you should definitely mention it because it shows you have an interest in the company and company culture. If you’re a cooking fan, then it’s probably less relevant.

Regina: Yes. Though like I said in the ‘what to include’ section earlier, hobbies (or whatever you’re passionate about) can be useful to put on your CV if you’re starting out, providing you can demonstrate the link between the skills the hobby gives you and the position you’re applying for. 
For instance, I recently helped a student with her CV. She was nervous because she had no professional experience. But during the conversation, she let slip that she was a singer and had auditioned for France’s TV reality show, The Voice. I told her that this was exactly the sort of thing she should include; it demonstrated that she could both cope under pressure and face competition – two skills that are transferable to the workplace. This sort of detail shows your future employer that you’re unique. It’s what makes them want to reach out to you.

Should you always include a motivation letter?

Regina: Not systematically. Only if it adds something extra to your application. And only - as Josephine said earlier about CVs - if you tailor each letter to each job offer.

Where motivation letters can be useful is when people are changing careers. Their CVs might not be adapted to the job offer, so this allows them to explain why they want to work in a new field – perhaps they’ve always been obsessed with Couture, but life took them on a different path and now they want to get into their dream sector. You can only talk about this if you include a motivation letter.

What should you not do?

Regina: Whatever you do, don’t use a motivation model downloaded from the internet. Make your letter your own. In our Maisons we love hearing about people’s personal journeys. If you’re going into retail, for instance, storytelling is one of the key skills we’re looking for.

Josephine: Absolutely. I would also advise you not to add inaccurate information on your CV. As HR, we truly value the honesty of candidates. Moreover, try not to overwhelm your CV with too many details; your ability to summarize them in 1 page is something employers really look out for. One other key advice I could give would be to stay true to yourself as your uniqueness is what sets you apart from others. Try not to match someone’s character you think might help you get the position. And finally, try not to include just any old photo. It’s better not to have any photo at all than one that does you a disservice – for instance you on your holidays in the Bahamas. Ditto for your email address. If it doesn’t appear professional, then create another one just for your job hunting.

Regina: That’s right. And remember that photos aren’t mandatory. But if you do include one, make it simple: dress for the occasion and take your head shot against a white background.

Josephine: I’ve just remembered a fifth point: Avoid spelling mistakes. Check thoroughly before you hit send.