Important CV Statistics for Your Job Search

CV statistics start with the actual way you construct your CV. Here are a few points to consider when you’re preparing to write a CV:

• 51% of documents have buzzwords, cliches, and grammatical errors.
• Around 25% of hiring managers only spend 30 seconds or less reviewing a CV.
• Job seekers consider these to be the top factors when looking for a new job:
  • Career growth
  • Health benefits
  • Compensation
• Only about half of job seekers include a cover letter.

What do these statistics say about writing a CV for a job posting? First of all, 85% of recruiters agree that potential candidates inflate their competencies. When as many as 25% of hiring managers look at your CV for less than half a minute, you need to get across that information as quickly as possible if you’re hoping for a job offer. The best way to do this, is with quantifiable metrics (dollars, amounts, percents) that add easy spot verification to your skills.

Soft skills are an important starting point when listing your key skills. These skills revolve around the way you communicate with other people and the way you handle yourself. They’re personality-based skills. Here are a few of the soft skills that might make you more likely to land a job interview:

• Communication skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Time management
• Teamwork
• Creativity
• Interpersonal skills
• Work ethic
• Adaptability
• Attention to detail
• Leadership skills

You’ll often see these skills listed in the job description of an open position.

What about hard skills? While soft skills are all about your personality, hard skills are specific knowledge that applies to the job you’re applying for. Here are a few of the most common hard skills you might see on a CV:

• Data analysis
• Social media
• Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)
• Project management
• Team management
• Digital marketing
• Troubleshooting
• Resource management
• Web analytics
• Operating systems

It’s important to remember that hard skills will naturally vary depending on the job. If you’re applying to be a professional CV writer, you’re probably going to need to know how to use Microsoft Office. If you’re applying to be a data scientist, you’ll need to know how to use machine learning algorithms and write in Python and SQL. Your industry will have an impact on the hard skills you use, so don’t feel like you need to use all of these skills.

When you’re constructing your CV, you need a way that you can show off everything in the very short amount of time you have. That’s where headings come into play. These are the most common CV sections:

• Contact information
• Personal statement
• Core qualifications / Key skills
• Education history
• Academic appointments
• Publications
• Awards, honours and other academic achievements
• Grants and fellowships
• Conferences
• Other teaching experience
• Research experience and lab experience
• Other nonacademic activities
• Memberships and affiliations

These sections are the most common ones that you may include in your CV. However, even with this knowledge, you will likely still have a difficult time filling out your job application on your own, especially if you’re a first-time job seeker. That’s where CVHelp can come in, we can help you create your job application from top to bottom. You can use the CVHelp CV builder and the cover letter builder to write a better CV. Plus, you can also find CV examples if you want to look at other job seekers’ CVs before you write your own.