Getting Promoted or Landing Your Next Job: It's Not Just About Your CV

When it comes to getting promoted or securing a new job, it’s easy to obsess over your CV. Should it be traditional or something eye-catching from Canva?

In my experience, as long as your CV accurately reflects your skills and competencies and aligns with the role you're applying for, the format is secondary.

Yes, there’s usually room for improvement, and no, it shouldn’t look like it’s written on toilet paper (well, no one prints them anymore anyway).

I’ve seen all kinds of CVs—in the early 2000s even one folded like a piece of Japanese origami—that worked because the content hit the mark. What really matters is whether your skills match the employer’s needs.

What often lets candidates down isn’t their CV but their cover letter. Here’s the truth: many recruiters don’t read the cover letter unless the CV grabs their attention first. And even then, the cover letter’s job isn’t to retell your life story.

Think of it as a pitch: concise, clear, and compelling. Two pages? Way too long. A poorly written, overly wordy, or unfocused cover letter can leave the recruiter wondering if you’ll be just as long-winded in the workplace.

Instead, use your cover letter to finalise the recruiter’s interest, to close the invitation to an interview so to speak. Show them you can summarise, focus on relevant topics, write vividly, and avoid clichés like “I’m hardworking” (seriously, that’s a given).

Nail this balance, and you’ll make the recruiter think: This is someone I need to meet.