How to design a dynamic CV
CV design refers to the layout, graphics such as the colours, text, images, how well-written and formatted regardless of the job you are applying for, industry and experience levels.
This means the LOOK, (visual appearance) and content of your CV.
A good CV should be both visually interesting and intellectually stimulating
The Design
There are 5 main elements to consider when it comes to considering the design features of a CV. These are: Layout, Fonts, Colors, Images and last but not least the Content
The 5 features of a CV
1. Layout: A good layout for your CV is very important as it determines how the reader will follow the information they are reading. If the order is correct the reader will feel like its easy to read and continue reading. In the example here, see how the CV is divided into highlighted sections of different colours.
This keeps the readers' focus and attention in one section until they complete reading everything in that section. Each section should naturally flow to the next section that you want the reader to read until they finish reading the whole document.
2. Font: Choose a good clear font style and maintain the same font on all the pages of your CV. There are some fonts which have been proven to make reading easier on the eyes for the reader. Our favorite's include: Arial, Calibri, Tahoma, Verdana & Open Sans.
3. Colours: One thing you must bear in mind is that your CV is your sales & marketing tool. The more vibrant your CV looks the more attention it will get from the prospective reader. The use of colour is a good way of making your CV stand out. Don't go over the top and make your CV look like a rainbow. Just 2 to 3 colours are enough as shown in the example here.
4. Images: The use of images is also a way of catching the readers attention. Include a profile picture next to your name as shown in our example.
If you happen to be a chef maybe use a picture of one of your well presented dishes instead of a self-portrait.
5. Content: The whole idea of designing a CV document is to engage the reader to focus on the content. The content is the most important element. You want the reader to know about you and get excited to meet you. In our CV example above you will see that the content is broken down into 2 main sections.
1. The first section begins from the top left going down to the bottom of the page containing an image, personal profile and contact details . Like we said, this could be a picture of a your well presented dish if you are a chef.
2. This same section should also contain your core skills, achievements, vocational award, interests and hobbies.
c) On the right you have the main body of the document containing the name of the candidate, objectives, education history, work experience and additional information such as languages you can speak and any other special skills you may have.
This is the current design style of a modern CV. Please note, style and designs change periodically through the years so keep an eye out for new trends of CV styles and designs in the future.
Use this as a guideline to give your CV a professional look and an advantage from the rest of the competition. Remember, the best CV's are usually on one page. This is a very difficult feat to manage but its advisable. Editing a CV is one of the most difficult things to do. It's often said that writing a CV can feel like a full-time job.
Strip the content to a skeleton then start adding the body to fit the page. At most, a CV should have a maximum of two pages.
More than 2 pages will make the reader feel like they are reading an essay which often frustrates the reader. Considering the amount of CV's they may have to read in a day, maybe 20 to 50 CV's sometime even more... They will give-up before they even start reading your CV.
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