Creative CV’s: good or bad?

Your CV is your first communication with an employer.

Recruiters see hundreds of traditional CV's every week, but it is very much down to the individual as to whether they like a creative CV or not.

Your CV needs to grab attention to pass the 7-second test, but make sure it is the correct attention.

Creative CV's are often used by those in similar roles to marketing, digital arts etc & they can be a great tool if executed correctly.

So, what's in it for me?

A creative CV done right could:

However, if done wrong, it could:

The key to a brilliant creative CV is to showcase your talent and creativity, without going overboard. Some employers will appreciate a slightly different CV, especially CV’s for marketing or other creative roles. They can be a great way of giving an employer an insight into the person before actually meeting them. However, many employers like a simple, easy to read lay out and text. Therefore, its super important to pick your CV style carefully depending on the role and the company.

So now you know what’s to gain and what’s at risk, let’s get creating!

Using alternative fonts than the traditional Arial is fine but make sure it is still easily readable and clear. If an employer can’t easily read your CV, they are likely to discard it. Ensure you keep your text at an appropriate size, if you make it too small then it will be unreadable, but too big and it will look unprofessional. Including small portions of colour within your CV is a nice way of making it pop and stand out. However, make sure it is used in moderation and you select an easy to read colour.

If you’d like any particular experience to stand out more to an employer, feel free to put it in bold or underline it.

Make the most of the space you have on the page. Your CV should ideally only be a page long. However, if you do have to go onto two pages, make it two full pages. You should have all the relevant skills and experience on your CV, without having large paragraphs of text. Try not to leave too much white space, but also ensure you are not cramming information onto the page that doesn’t fit. If you are including any images, graphics or charts, make sure they are an appropriate size for the space you have and be sure to use them in moderation.

If you are including any graphics, pictures or charts, make sure you double check that they are all correct and up to date. Proof reading your CV will ensure it is free of errors. The last thing you want is an employer finding multiple errors as they are reading. If you’ve chosen to do a creative CV, it is also a good idea to get a friend or family member to look over it for you. An extra opinion could guide you in the correct direction for gaining your perfect job.