Career · 5 min read ·
The CV test: can a stranger see your value in 10 seconds?
How to make experience feel specific, credible and relevant without padding the page.
A recruiter often scans a CV before deciding whether to read it properly. Your value needs to be clear without making them search through dense paragraphs or a long list of duties.
Start with the role you want and the strongest evidence that you can do it. Put relevant skills and recent results near the top. Keep older or unrelated experience brief.
Replace general claims with specific outcomes. Instead of saying you improved customer service, explain what changed, how you helped and what the result was. Numbers are useful when they are accurate, but a clear result is better than an invented percentage.
Give the page to someone who does not know your work. Let them read it for ten seconds, then ask what you are good at and what role you want next. Their answer will show you what is clear and what needs another edit.