So you’ve applied for loads of jobs but haven’t heard back from a single one. You’ve got all the desired skills asked for and can’t understand why you have had no luck. Take a look at your CV, does it look a bit like the first image? Drab, boring and overused.
CVs are the first point of contact for making an impression with a potential employer, so why send them a boring one? Yes, including all of your amazing skills and past experience is a good place to start but why not show potential employers how creative you are with a creative CV. It’s time to think outside of the white a4 paper and present your resume as if it’s your portfolio. Remember quality wins over quantity so keep it strictly to one page, or two at the most.
We know that not everyone is blessed with creative ingenuity so we have collected together 5 inspiring creative CV ideas that will send yours to the top of the pile.
1. Create a Pie Chart of Your Skills
Creating a pie chart of your skills makes it quick and easy for the employer to digest your areas of expertise. Although images are very powerful, it’s important not to take too much attention away from the text. The resume below is a great example template; the pie chart stands out without taking away from the rest of the text and fits in nicely with the whole theme.
2. Tell Your Employment History With a Visual Story
This resume is a brilliant adaption of the evolution theory and would have no doubt caught the employers attention. If you have the creative tools, spend some time coming up with a visual story applicable to your career history. Here’s a tip: when creating your own template, bear in mind the company you’re applying for and make your CV personable to them e.g. if you’re applying for a travel startup, create a visual story using travel objects.
3. Promote Your Skills With an Infographic
Infographics have become really popular recently for content marketing. And as a CV is a way of marketing yourself, why not make an infographic about your skills and employment history. This one below is simple and easily achievable, it doesn’t bombard the reader with images and tells them everything they need to know. Also, if the job you are applying for requires knowledge of infographics, making your resume into one would immediately catch the employer’s eye.
4. If you really want to go outside the box…make a box
Now this type of CV is definitely for the super creative. Although creating a resume that the employer can physically delve into looks incredible, it is important not to divert too much attention away from the content; this one is great because the design of box shows creativity yet the pamphlet inside explains employment history in more detail. Be careful when thinking outside the box, you don’t want to come across as showing off too much.
5. Illustrate Yourself
If you’re applying for an illustration job, why not illustrate your CV! It’s the perfect way to demonstrate your skills before you even get to show your portfolio at the interview. Think about the job you are applying for and how your skills fit the requirements and try to implement them into your resume.
So there we have it, 5 awesome, creative and inspiring CVs.
Do you have a really cool resume?
We’d love to see some of your personal creative CVs so feel free to share any links or your thoughts in the comment box below.