Optimising your CV for 2022

You may find yourself looking for a new opportunity or change of pace this year, so if finding a new job is on your list of 2021 goals, your first step should be to freshen up your CV. However, this may require more than taking the usual steps, because yo  will need to ensure that you fully represent the last year in the document. 

So, how do you optimise your CV for 2022? Here are our top tips for making yours stand out from the crowd: 

1.  Add 2021 experience 

This may sound obvious, but the last year has been anything but normal. Your new experience of working at home remotely is valuable and should come across on your CV, because it showcases your adaptability, technical skills, ingenuity, and resourcefulness. Include the programs and strategies you have had to adopt throughout this year, as they could be useful in your next position.

If you are managing a remote team, include this as well. Successful management in a time of uncertainty is extremely valuable and should be displayed on your CV.

2. Include soft skills

Soft skills such as communication, quick learning, emotional intelligence, resilience, and more have proven their worth as organisations navigated the challenges of 2021. They are now at the top of wish lists of many hiring managers.

Ensure that these kinds of skills are peppered throughout your CV instead of relegating them only to a separate section at the bottom of the document. This way, you are highlighting them and showing that you are aware of their importance.

3. Mind the gaps

If you have been made redundant as a result of the economic downturn, do not be afraid to include this. Or any other employment gap on your CV. However, you should be prepared to speak about what you have been doing in between positions. 

If you have been upskilling, or taking any classes in the interim, you can include that information on either your CV or cover letter depending on its relevance. Or if you have had to take time off for health reasons that can be shared in an interview. A potential employer will more than likely understand these kinds of gaps, so there is no need to hide them.

4. Update your personal statement 

A personal statement is short summary that you can feature at the start of your CV. It's unique to everyone and is a great way to showcase your skills, personality and job fit. Alot can change in a year, so if you have a personal statement on your current CV make sure you update this for 2022 to cover any new career goals, additional achievements or more relevant information that you might not have put on your 2021 CV. Here our more personal statement examples, do's and dont's to help you do this. 

What's next?

These efforts, combined will help you to best position yourself when applying to jobs this year. If you are considering taking a new step in your career, download our Job Applicant Toolkit for expert advice on how to land your dream job in 2022.