Essential Reading: What is a CV in Good ‘Form’? And How Competitive is Your CV (on a Standalone Basis)?

A list of factors that will help you ensure your CV is in good 'form' and ready to compete when you're inevitably compared to other applicants. This post also outlines my 'CV Competitiveness Scale'

Jul 18, 2024

If you’re new here, welcome to Keep, Ding, Ghost! Remember that company that rejected your job application despite your strong CV? This newsletter will show you what probably happened. You may not always like what you hear, but it's better to hear it from me (L. C. Serrão) and fix any issues raised than be in the dark and let your top-choice employer use the same issues as the reason to reject your CV.

Hey, guys! This post provides a list of practical tips to help ensure your CV is in good ‘form’, thereby helping it stand out against the criteria used to evaluate CVs during the Keep, Ding, Ghost CV Review Sessions, which you should consider as test runs before you apply for your ideal graduate jobs.

As mentioned in previous posts (like in this post but more so in this post), in sports such as (English) football, the term ‘form’ refers to a team or player's current performance level, i.e., their quality based on recent performance.

‘Form’ also translates well when discussing CVs. I often say that applying for jobs, especially coveted graduate jobs, is like a competitive sport. So, one could say that the factors that can help your CV stand out against the criteria discussed in this post and increase your probability of success depend on your CV’s form.

A CV for graduate jobs in good form effectively showcases recent achievements, consistent performance, and overall readiness for the graduate job you’re applying to. Below is a list of the main factors I expect from a CV in good form.

A list of Practical Tips to Help Ensure Your CV is in Good ‘Form’

Length:

Your CV should be one page. The only exception is if you need to add something like a ‘deal sheet’, i.e., a separate page that lists the deals you've worked on and outlines your specific impact in detail. I’ve seen examples of this across different industries, but it is especially popular for CVs applying for investment banking/private equity and related roles. However, even then, I would argue that most Analyst and Associate level jobs don’t require this as a separate page; you should be able to add the most critical points on the first page. So, I advise aiming for one page.

Layout/Aesthetics:

Yes, this matters because first impressions matter—and your CV is no exception. I won’t be prescriptive, as you can be flexible, but it's important to keep it simple and professional. I will, however, say the following: For fonts, I'm particularly fond of Times New Roman and other similar fonts. In terms of size, I've seen successful CVs with a font size as small as nine. And when it comes to borders, please, just, don’t. It's best to avoid them altogether. I've yet to see a CV with a border that didn’t look out of place, especially those with coloured borders. I advise keeping your CV as a black-and-white document for graduate jobs in most industries to maintain a professional look unless the employer explicitly states they want you to be more creative.

Sections:

At a minimum, your CV should consist of three sections: Education, Business Experience, and Extracurriculars. Many CVs also include an ‘Additional Information’ section, which is typically where you’d find information about things like language and IT skills.

Education:

Your CV should clearly state the name of the schools and universities you attended and the qualifications and grades you obtained or are working towards. For your degree, include the subjects studied. While it's often optional to include subjects for pre-university courses like A Levels and GCSEs, grades are still a must. Overall, a CV in the best form from an ‘education’ perspective would typically be a CV with a university name that is considered a target school by the graduate employer you’re targeting and a subject and grades that meet their minimum entry requirements.

Business Experience:

Highlight your roles, responsibilities, and achievements. Ensure you include strong action verbs and quantify your achievements where possible. Overall, a CV in the best form from a ‘business experience’ perspective would typically have appropriate programs for your year of study. For example, if you’re in the second year of university, your CV should have an Insight Program or equivalent completed during your first year. If you’re in your final year of university, your CV should have an internship from your second year of university, and if you’re especially badass, it will also have an Insight Program from your first year. Talk about being productive!

Extracurriculars:

I particularly enjoy reviewing this section of CVs because it provides me with an opportunity to get a glimpse into your interests and personal brand. This section should demonstrate your leadership and teamwork skills. And remember, it's more important to focus on quality than quantity. Some of the most impressive CVs I've seen only highlighted one extracurricular activity; what it had in quantity was a range of achievements stemming from that activity. More than just a list of activities, this section reflects your ability (or lack thereof) to balance your academics with other responsibilities and the impact you've had on your student or outside community. Overall, a CV in the best form from an ‘extracurriculars’ perspective would typically include a meaningful role in a student club, a volunteering initiative, a community sports program, or other activities that show substantial responsibilities and clear achievements. For example, holding the position of student union president, being an executive member of a student club, or even starting a new student club are excellent examples. Simply being a member of, say, the Finance club, will not impress anyone.

Spelling & Grammar:

Ensure your CV has minimal spelling and grammatical errors. We all make mistakes, but consistent errors can earn you an automatic ticket to the rejection pile.

Language:

Use clear, assertive language. Strong action verbs and quantifiable achievements are particularly impressive. I highly recommend you to invest time on this. You won’t regret it!

Follow these guidelines to enhance your CV, and you'll be better prepared to compete for top graduate jobs. And this is just the start.

I will provide you with specific strategies and ideas on what to include and exclude from your CV as this newsletter develops. Ultimately, it's up to you to determine what specific factors will help tell your compelling story through your CV, as no one knows your story better than you.

You have the power to shape your narrative, and I'm here to guide you through the process. I will primarily do this through the Keep, Ding, Ghost CV Review Sessions.

Clear here to read the criteria I will use to review CVs during the Keep, Ding, Ghost CV Review Sessions, which will evaluate CVs based on the points above about ‘form’.

And don't worry if you still need to figure out what your compelling 'story' is. I didn't know what mine was from the start, either. But it will be revealed to you, especially if you follow the Keep, Ding, Ghost CV Review Sessions and see what kind of CVs get a 'yes' or 'no' decision. It will help you create and refine your own 'story'.

The game is chess, not checkers!

CV Competitiveness Scale

If I review your CV for this newsletter, alongside the detailed feedback notes, I will usually also provide you with a summary of how strong your CV is on a standalone basis. Strong emphasis on ‘standalone basis’ because, as I always stress, your CV is only as strong as the CVs you’re being compared with. For instance, if an employer receives 20 CVs and can only invite 10 people to the interview stage, that means that even if all 20 CVs get a 10/10 score, half would still get rejected. So, assessing your CV on a standalone basis is about ensuring you’re as strong as possible (i.e. capable of getting a 10/10 score) so that you are competitive enough when inevitably compared to the other applicants.

In other words, the summary of how strong your CV is (on a standalone basis) assesses how well it’s prepared to compete with other CVs by placing it on a five-point scale: 1) Needs Significant Improvement, 2) Below Average, 3) Average, 4) Above Average, and 5) Highly Competitive. This rating, or the ‘(standalone) CV competitiveness scale’, is based on the ‘good form’ factors outlined in this post.

Below is a brief description of each level:

(1) Needs Significant Improvement:

The CV lacks essential information, key sections are missing, or there is little to no evidence of achievements or relevant experience. As such, a CV ranked at this level is unlikely to be competitive and would have probably been rejected by the system/HR team without it ever reaching my desk (as a CV reviewer for top graduate employers).

(2) Below Average:

The CV includes some relevant sections but lacks important details—typically meaningful extracurriculars and/or clear demonstrations of leadership and teamwork capabilities. As a result, CVs in this category do not adequately demonstrate the necessary skills or experience.

(3) Average:

The CV covers most of the essential areas and relevant sections but lacks depth in key areas. Not clearly articulating your achievements or impact is usually the culprit. CVs in this category are somewhat competitive but would need significant refinement to truly stand out. FYI: Most of the CVs I reviewed while screening for top graduate employers fell into this category—which usually isn’t strong enough to pass the rigorous CV screening process. Despite being labelled ‘average’, reaching this level is more difficult than people think. If I had to describe this level in terms of grades, it would be a B on a scale that includes grades A and A*. In terms of wording, I’d describe it as ‘fairly good/OK’ on a scale that includes ‘good/very good’ and ‘excellent’. In other words, if your CV is at this level, and you want to compete with the big boys, it’s not ready.

(4) Above Average:

Okay, this is where things start getting interesting, as this is where the table for the ‘big boys’ starts. CVs in this bucket are generally strong, with most key sections covered and a good balance of academic background, business experience, and extracurriculars. More importantly, it shows a good level of achievement and leadership/teamwork impact throughout. FYI: From my experience, this is usually the minimum level needed to pass the rigorous CV screening process at top graduate employers. So, if your CV is ranked here, you’ll usually be fine (from a CV perspective). Most of the missed opportunities for someone whose CV is at this level tend to come down to someone else’s CV being slightly more ‘above average’ or in the next ‘highly competitive’ category (which, by the way, is rarer than you’d think). As such, this bucket is the minimum level that this newsletter aims to help you reach (strong emphasis on ‘minimum’).

(5) Highly Competitive:

A CV at this level is comprehensive, well-structured, and clearly showcases achievements and skills with measurable impact. It reflects a strong academic background, impressive work experience, and significant extracurricular involvement—making it highly likely to stand out in a competitive job market. To be honest, I rarely see CVs at this level, and I definitely light up every time I do! FYI: Comparing this level to the one below (‘above average’) is a bit like trying to rank ‘rich’ people: let’s assume this level denotes ‘billionaire’ status, while the previous level (‘above average’) is more like ‘millionaire’ status. Reaching ‘billionaire’ status is exceptional but not typically necessary to make the cut for a ‘rich’ list—‘millionaire’ status is usually sufficient. In other words, your CV doesn’t need to be at this level to pass the rigorous CV screening process of top graduate employers, so that’s that. But, of course, if it is, you’re definitely more competitive—especially since there are far fewer top graduate jobs than there are applicants. So, I don’t blame anyone for aiming for this level. I know I did.