The Influence of Work Experience in Your CV

Your work experience is likely the most crucial section of your CV, so it needs to be flawless in every aspect.

CV Tips for Work Experience

1. Reverse Chronological Order

The most relevant work experience includes the last 10-15 years or your last 3 jobs, whichever is greater. Consider this when applying for positions.

Limit your work experience to 8-10 bullet points per job description, emphasizing job or industry-specific keywords in each line. You might want to bold only the keyword.

Ensure consistency throughout your work experience section.

2. No Work Experience

Everyone starts without work experience and eventually gains valuable experience. What matters is who you work for, what you have learned and achieved, and how you have developed.

If you lack work experience, emphasize your bio, education, completed training and projects, and skills to make them appealing.

3. Use Bullet Points

Craft impactful sentences using bullet points. Avoid being overly descriptive. Your CV is reviewed by professionals who know how to interpret it. Include one significant industry, product, or work-related "keyword." Your CV should contain essential information that prompts a call or email.

4. Keep it Simple

Avoid using complex words or jargon that might confuse the reader. Your CV should contain straightforward and professional language, with industry or product-specific terms that are impactful.

5. State Facts and Figures

Use numbers as digits rather than words, and do the same with percentages. Graphical representations like charts and diagrams can leave a strong impression.

• Achieved 95% results in my first sales quarter OR

• Trained 150 staff over the first year OR

• Sold AED 400,000 worth of medical supplies between 2019-2020

6. Substitute Experience with Achievements

Companies seek performers. Highlighting your achievements and accomplishments can be more effective than listing job responsibilities (or a combination of both is ideal and recommended). Achievements are directly related to your duties and have a greater impact. This will help you create an “achievement” based CV.

7. Use Impactful Words

Terms like detail-oriented, team player, and hard work can be dull and vague.

Instead, use words like “strong leader,” “sales strategist,” or “effective communicator” to convey important traits. Note these words along with your keywords before drafting your CV.

8. List All Your Work

Include all your work, whether part-time or full-time, paid or unpaid, charitable or project-based, in reverse chronological order. This provides insight into your experience. Experience always counts.

9. Use a Mix of Action Verbs

Start each bullet point with a different word, as much as possible. Using words like "Created," "Designed," "Accomplished," "Achieved," "Managed," "Trained," etc., as the first word is beneficial. Use the present tense for your current job description.

10. Optimize Keywords

Incorporate "keywords" in your resume: Review the job description, identify frequently used words, and ensure they appear in your bullet points. This not only helps tailor your resume to the job but also ensures visibility in applicant tracking systems. Consider using a tool (like SEO - keyword search) to analyze and identify the most used keywords.

e.g.

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ABS Shipping                                                           March 2015 to September 2018

Senior Accountant

Preparation of consolidated financial reports, working capital management, and control.

• Processing vendor payments, verification, and reconciliation daily.

• Preparing and verifying all petty cash protocols and payments, along with physical verification to maintain adequate liquidity.

• Daily review and follow-up of accounts receivables (AR) and accounts payables (AP).

• Preparation and implementation of internal control processes for daily accounting.

• Reconciliation of Dubai Customs, DP World, Calogi, and portal accounts periodically.

• Filing of periodical VAT returns and maintaining records in compliance with FTA regulations.

• Preparation of MIS reports summarizing the business financial position for management.

• Reporting of profitability/contribution job-wise, custom standing guarantee used & rotation reports, and productivity of labor report for management.

• Assisting in the preparation of cash flow statements, activity-wise reports, annual budgets, forecasting trends, capital budgeting, and break-even analysis.

• Variance analysis between budgeted and actual spending with reasons thereof.