Catch these great CV writing tips from prime employer DHL

The first step to landing a role in logistics (or any field) is marketing yourself effectively. Research suggests that women apply for fewer roles than men, only apply for jobs where they meet all the criteria, and aren't as effective at selling their skills.

DHL Supply Chain has pulled together some useful hints and tips to help give applicants the confidence to call out their achievements and make an application stand out.

Getting the attention of recruiters with an impactful CV

CVs are a marketing tool and they're an applicants one shot at getting the attention of recruiters.

"Before you start writing, put yourself in the shoes of the recruiter and think about the skills they will be looking for – your strengths backed up with facts. An example of a candidate’s initial thought process: ‘I want to tell them that I am a good sales manager, that my team has consistently over-performed despite the industry downturn and adverse factors such as a delay in new product launches'," says DHL.

"This could be expressed as: ‘I am an accomplished sales professional, with a track record of year-on-year over target, achieved even against a climate of sector decline.’ In this example, a strong claim is made and backed up with evidence. This could be adapted as the opening summary for a sales professional'."

Writing a good CV means…

DHL explains that writing a good CV means creating a personal advert that outlines what you have done, how you have done it, and the experience you have picked up on the way. It also involves backing up statements with quality facts, instead of using general statements, and always adding qualifications and training.

It's important to include name and contact details, an experience profile and key skills at the top of the CV.

DHL adds that it's crucial to use simple and concise language as it's important to get to the point quickly.

Using AI for grammar and spelling

It’s great to be able to use AI for grammar and spelling but DHL shares that applicants should be careful about the use of words.

"Is it language you would use, does it reflect you and could you explain it at interview if asked?" questions DHL.

CV top tips

DHL highlights that applicants should look for a template online that appeals to them, and use this to structure their CV. Applicants need to ensure that they are applying for a role that they are able to do and mention their critical experience. They should also tailor their CV to the role they are applying for.

Another tip that DHL includes is that applicants should consider past and present tense (be consistent) and avoid jargons, acronyms, and technical terms. They should also avoid lots of white space on the page, use bullet points and ensure each point is one line, state facts and figures rather than vague statements, and keep the CV close to two pages.

"Employers will be looking for experience that matches the essential criteria in the job advert or job description. Use the same words they do," comments DHL.

"Be tangible, state percentages, monetary amounts, budgets, cost savings, efficiency savings you’ve achieved."

DHL adds that applicants should not discuss team achievements, but only discuss their achievements within the team. Applicants must also ensure that the IT systems they are confident at using are at the bottom of their CV, and that applicants should not be afraid to add a line about a proud achievement for each job.

Final checks

DHL provides a list of the final checks for the CV:

Is the CV concise and to the point?
Are contact details correct? Is the email address and mobile number up-to-date?
Applicants should ensure they use their civilian email address
Make sure the email address is professional
Has the applicant proofread their CV? Have they checked for spelling and grammar errors?
Has the applicant checked for words that are spelt right but not in their right context e.g. there, their and they’re?
Is the font and format consistent?
Has the applicant asked others to read it? Family, friends, or a colleague?

"And finally, before you start using your CV to apply for jobs, have a final read through and make sure you’re comfortable it reflects you and leaves a positive impression," concludes DHL.