Top Signs Your CV Needs Updating

Your CV is considered the primary document that you need when you're on a job hunt. Much like a passport, it's the first thing that employers will see when you are applying. This means that whatever information is included in your CV needs to be regularly updated throughout your working career so you can be relevant, especially in a competitive job market.

The Importance of Keeping Your CV Updated

Having an updated CV means that you're always one step ahead if an unexpected change ever happens. Let's say you lost your job today. Having an updated CV saves you time, which could take hours and even days to update. It also means that you're taking advantage of opportunities as soon as they become available.

Signs You Need to Update Your CV

It's Just One Page – While it is recommended that you include concise information on your CV, putting it all on one page makes it feel that something is lacking in your experience. Aim to keep it at two pages, especially if you have extensive work experience.

Unnecessary Details Are Still Present – Photo? Age? Marital Status? These are not the details that recruiters look for in a CV. Remove all necessary information and focus on your core responsibilities and achievements.

Your Skills Are Outdated – If you've listed down your core skills, have a look and see if they're relevant on your CV and update them if possible.

CV Objective is Still the Highlight – Having a career objective at the top of your CV works best for someone starting their career, but it won't make much sense if you've been working for a few years. Instead, write a short and impactful summary of your career.

All Your Jobs Are Still Listed – It's not always necessary to include all the roles you've had, especially if they're decades old. You can eliminate job roles that aren't relevant to the role you're applying for or group the roles if you still want to include them.

It is optimum to update your CV every three months or when you acquire a new skill and not just when you change jobs. You should also look into how to avoid CV red flags to decrease the chances of rejection. Today's job market is constantly shifting, and having an updated CV is recommended if you want to stay relevant.