At this time of year, many of us rethink our working life, but how can you craft a CV that will catch an employer’s attention and then pull off a winning interview? Recruitment experts share the secrets to getting hired.

Apply for jobs that are right for you

“It is going to be a competitive year,” says James Reed, CEO of the recruitment company Reed and the author of several careers books. “There are more people looking for jobs relative to the number available. So it is really important to make sure you’re applying for jobs for which you are particularly well suited,” he says.

Corinne Mills, a former HR executive who is now managing director of Personal Career Management and the author of You’re Hired! Standout CVs, says: “Ask yourself, do I genuinely want this job? What is the point of applying for something you haven’t got any real interest in doing it? You’re wasting your time.”

The CV is alive and well – so makes yours count

“The demise of the CV is often overstated,” says Reed. And while platforms such as LinkedIn or video CVs or social media accounts are relevant in some sectors, it is still important to make your CV as polished as possible. “I think of it as potentially a life-changing document,” says Reed.

Keep your CV concise

“Make sure that it is a good summary, but doesn’t go on too long. One page is sufficient,” says Reed. “Begin with a short, simple paragraph stating why you’re a good applicant for this opportunity. I always say to people, a job is a problem to be solved. How do you position yourself as the solution to that particular problem?”

Always be honest

“Tailor your CV depending on the role,” says Reed. “If you are applying for a sales job, emphasise your sales experience.” But it is crucial not to be misleading. “We have a screening business where we check CVs on behalf of our clients: 40% of the CVs we screen have errors in them.”

Don’t cut and paste the job description

When writing a CV or job application, some people, “get out the job description and then cut and paste it as part of their CV”, says Mills. “That is probably the worst thing you could do, because job descriptions rarely bear much resemblance to the actual job. It also doesn’t give a sense of you as a person: you have to say who you are, what you have to offer and why you are a great match for this particular job.”

Be specific about your skills and experience

“Recruiters will tell you in the selection criteria, we want somebody who is a great communicator,” says Mills. Just saying you have good communication skills won’t cut it. “You have to give specific examples, such as: ‘I presented at this conference or team meeting or to the board.’”

Dr Rob Yeung, a psychologist and director at leadership consulting firm Talentspace, says: “If you are sending the same CV out to different jobs, you’re already at the bottom of the pack. If a job advert states that they are looking for communication skills, initiative and teamwork, then make sure you have those three as section headings on your CV and then use a paragraph or two describing what you have done and achieved in relation to those skills. If you are lazy and just rely on including those keywords occasionally on your CV, you are doing yourself a massive disservice.”

In an age of ChatGPT, come across as human

“On some level, you do need to be robotic,” says Mills, “because applicant tracking systems are based on algorithms. The higher up your CV certain keywords are, and the more frequently they are mentioned, the more likely you are to be at the top of the candidate rankings. But you’ve also got to be careful not to be some disembodied kind of chatbot. I read some very fluent CVs but when you look closer, you think, where is the person in this? You tell me you are great at managing a team, including appraisals and performance management, but you haven’t told me what size your team was. You haven’t told me about any specific challenges. You turned around a failing team? Fantastic. How did you do that? You need to supply much more information for people to believe you.”

Sarah Juillet, director of postgraduate careers and professional development at Bayes Business School and a former recruiter at Lehman Brothers, says: “I think AI has definitely got a place for grammar checks, optimising keywords and formatting suggestions. What is really important is that you don’t just use AI. There can be a tendency for people to upload a job description and their CV, and ask AI to churn out something, which on the face of it looks fine, but it’s very easy to see that there is no authenticity behind it.”

Think carefully about language choices

“Active verbs are good, such as delivered, led, built, accomplished,” says Reed. “I always advise people to avoid cliches such as they are ‘seeking a new challenge’ – that never really rings true. Don’t claim that you did everything yourself, because we all know in business that we work in teams.”

Use words such as “spearheaded, optimised, innovated”, says Juillet, and then quantify them: it doesn’t have to be numeric, as long as it shows the impact. Juillet also warns against using empty cliches such as “team player” and “results driven”; employers will think: “We’ll be the judge of that.” If you want to make such claims, “you have to demonstrate those things”, says Juillet.

“Avoid adjectives,” says Yeung. “Anyone can describe themselves as passionate and determined. Be sure you can prove it. Use verbs to describe the steps you took to achieve tangible results. Who did you persuade? How did you overcome obstacles? What did you accomplish at the end of different projects?”

Check spelling and grammar

It should be a no-brainer but “ensure there are no spelling or grammar errors”, says Andrew Fennell, director of StandOut CV and a former recruitment consultant for RBS, Barclays and easyJet. “A polished CV reflects attention to detail.”

Don’t fake your hobbies

Reed likes it when people mention their outside interest, but stresses the importance of being truthful. “Make sure that it is genuinely a hobby. Don’t fake it and get caught out.”

Do a cover letter – even when not asked for one

“It is a really good idea to do a cover letter,” says Mills. “Recruiters love it, and even when I tell people that, most still won’t write one. If you’ve done a cover letter, they know you are genuinely interested. It shows that you have gone the extra mile. You are showing your energy and enthusiasm.” The premise of any cover letter, Mills explains, is outlining why you are a great match for the job and your most relevant skills and experience in five bullet points. “It doesn’t need to be huge, but it is a fantastic opportunity to show you have put some thought into the application.”

Embrace LinkedIn – and ensure it matches your CV

Love it or loathe it, “you have to have it”, says Mills. “This is where employers will look for people with the skills they want. If you send an application or a CV, they are still going to look at your LinkedIn profile as verification to make sure there is consistency, or to see if there is any additional information on there. This is your professional profile in your professional community, so you really want to make best use of that window space. Do a profile that really tells the world who you are, what you bring and why you are the go-to person.”

Juillet stresses the importance of a sensible profile picture: “It has to be something warm and friendly but professional. You see people standing on the ski slopes but this is not Facebook or Instagram.” She adds that it is important to engage with your professional community on LinkedIn. If you’ve been to a conference, post a synopsis about what happened and what you took away from it. Liking other people’s posts is fine, but that won’t show up on many feeds. “If you make a comment of about 12 words, your profile starts coming up on other people’s feeds that are also engaging with that post. If you are using LinkedIn to raise your profile, it is important to participate in discussions online and use it to connect strategically with peers, recruiters and thought leaders.” Ask colleagues and contacts for recommendations, says Fennell. “These add credibility to your profile.”

But be aware of LinkedIn AI

Beware of what is and is not authentic on LinkedIn, says Fennell. “LinkedIn is increasingly filled with AI-generated content, often presented as genuine career advice. While these posts can seem insightful or inspiring, they often lack depth, context and, most importantly, accuracy. Job seekers need to be cautious.” At its worst, he says, these tools “can spread misinformation, leading job hunters to adopt poor strategies that hurt their prospects – such as using over generic CV templates or following outdated interview tips”. Always seek out advice from reputable sources.

Be authentic in interview

“The more you can be clear in your own mind about what it is you want to do and why you want to do it, the stronger you will come across,” says Reed.

Don’t panic if you are an introvert

To do well at an interview, “you don’t need to be the most charismatic person in the world”, says Mills. “In fact, very charismatic people who are brilliant speakers and can talk spontaneously don’t always get the job because they can go off topic.” The interview panel might like them, but they will give it to the candidate with more experience. Above all, she says: “Make sure that you match the job.”

Prepare for the most commonly asked interview questions

“A lot of people leave interviews wishing they could have been better prepared,” says Reed, referencing the old adage: fail to prepare, prepare to fail. “The central thesis of my book Why You? 101 Interview Questions You’ll Never Fear Again is that all interviews come down to a combination of 15 questions. The most commonly asked one is: ‘Tell me about yourself.’ If you’ve prepared something, it’s a home run. But if you haven’t, you can go rambling all over the place and make a mess of it.” Other questions that regularly come up include: what are your strengths and weaknesses? Where do you see yourself in five years’ time? Can you tell me about an occasion where you had to step up and solve a problem at work?

Juillet recommends the Star method of answering questions, describing a situation, task, action and result. And make sure you do your homework on the company itself. “Understand what its mission is, its culture, its products and its market position,” she says. Use LinkedIn to research this and find out about the interview panel.

But don’t overdo it on the prep, either. “Overpreparation can make your responses seem rehearsed or robotic,” says Fennell. “While preparation is vital, leave room for spontaneity and adaptability during the conversation.

Manage nerves

“I’m yet to meet anybody, no matter how successful, who is not nervous before an interview,” says Juillet. “Feeling a bit uncomfortable is normal. You’re not the only one.” Deep breathing exercises can help.If you have to travel, “make sure you leave plenty of time to get there so you are not late and flustered”. Picture in your head a successful interview scenario and try to reframe the situation as a conversation, not an interrogation.

“There are some psychological techniques that can help to reduce anxiety and boost confidence,” says Yeung, “but they add only 10-20% to your impact – and I say this as a psychologist. The biggest thing you can do to deal with nerves is to be confident that you have thought about likely questions and prepared and rehearsed answers to them. When you know what you want to say, you will come across as a much stronger candidate.”

Practise your answers out loud

“What people don’t do enough of is to prepare by talking out loud,” says Mills. “So they might remember a script in their head, but it’s different when you say it. There is something between the connection of your thoughts and articulating that in a stressful situation which you need to practise, ideally with someone else who can give you feedback. Failing that, record yourself on Zoom, then watch it to see how much you waffle.”

Be prepared for automated and remote interviews

“Increasingly, people are having to interview where there isn’t an interviewer,” says Mills. Prepare by going through standard interview questions and leave notes on your computer screen, “but be careful about your eyes, so they are not darting about or you’re not looking down at your notes”. The same goes for video calls, which are very common for the first round of interviews, and do not benefit from an unmade bed in the background, says Mills. “Standing up can help with posture,” Juillet advises, adding that it is essential to wear something smart even though you are interviewing from home.

Ask for feedback at the end of the interview

There is little use in emailing for feedback when you find out that you haven’t got the job, says Reed – you will just be told there was a stronger candidate. Instead, if you are feeling bold, in the questions section of the interview, ask: “Do you have any concerns about my application that I might be able to address now?” Reed admits this takes guts, “but they might say: ‘We’re worried that you don’t have enough sales experience’ or: ‘We’re worried that you’ve been changing jobs too frequently’, and at least it gives you an opportunity to address their concerns.”

Send a thank you note afterwards

After an interview, follow up with a thank you, says Juillet. “We know that it lands well when people send a very brief note. You don’t want to recount everything, just a couple of lines saying who you met and why you enjoyed it.”

Don’t bring up money or flexibility until you have an offer

“Early mentions can appear presumptuous, but during negotiations, be prepared with market data and a clear rationale for your expectations,” says Fennell.

If you don’t get the job, move on

“Don’t be too demoralised,” says Reed. “There are a lot of applicants for jobs and you won’t necessarily get the first one you apply for.” And perhaps it isn’t right for you anyway. When Reed thinks back to the jobs he didn’t get: “I probably wasn’t right for it. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re a bad applicant. It just means it wasn’t a good match. I really believe there is a job for everyone, but it is a question of finding the right one.”