Let me start this very informative article about Indeed Jobs and CV formats with a very bold, straight up question?

Is your CV (Curriculum Vitae) good enough to upload to job portals like Indeed Jobs?

If you have the slightest doubt and feel your CV format is very generic then read on my job seeking friend because recruiters only spent a minute or so on your CV before moving on to the next

This can mean an opportunity lost if your CV does not make a real great impression.

So what does it take to create a CV format that will stand head and shoulders above the rest of the thousands of CVs that get uploaded to Indeed Jobs every day. 

Is your objective to just send job applications to as many job-ads as you can find hoping to hit the target?

Or do you want to do it the smart way and be sure to land your dream job?

Here is the secret:

A CV is meant to get you through to an interview, and it should be written with only that objective in mind. But why is a professionally written CV format more likely to be effective on Indeed jobs?

In general, HR managers receive hundreds of documents and are likely to copy the contents of CV’s and enter it into their database. The only way to find a CV that matches the job is to use special screening software. With the help of applicant tracking programs (ATS), they search for relevant words and find the best candidates.

So, the rule of thumb is to list all your key skills for the job you are applying too. If you spent time applying for a job without the necessary skillsets will likely to get you ignored by hiring managers. 

More on this later –

Let’s look at the correct CV format you need to upload to indeed jobs to land your dream job with the salary to match.

Personal Contact Information

Be sure to add all your contact details like phone, email (Please do not add an email like “thebeerguy@gmail.com” ) your address and a LinkedIn account.

Later, a bit more on LinkedIn and why it is so important. 

Short Personal Summary

This is where you have to place a “hook” of your Curriculum Vitae to catch the attention of the recruiters. Put your experience, professional and professional accomplishments, and skills sets first and why you are the perfect candidate for the job. 

This part does not have to be very long, a couple of sentences will be just fine. 

Professional Experience

Add this section to your CV format in reverse-chronological order, meaning your latest or current job first. 

Use bullet points and remember to list achievements and so on.

Academic History

Be sure to add your credentials also in well formatted bullet points.

Skills

This is where I want to make sure you list only the top skills you have for applying for the new job, use correct keywords to label your skills.

Uniquely position you and set you apart from candidates who have similar skills, qualifications, and experience to you make you stand out in today’s competitive job market.

Make sure to mention the most relevant ones at the top. You can off-course elaborate a bit on certain skills.

Certifications and Training

Add any courses or programs you attended through your career here. You should not overlook this as it can form part of your skills sets on your CV format on Indeed Jobs.

Remember, anyone can write a CV and upload it, but it takes some time and practise to upload a professional CV Format that will catch attention and get you thought that door to an interview.

Let’s look at some more insightful tips you can use when applying for a job on Indeed Jobs. 

Social media

There is no denying that recruiters are looking at your social media website and personal blogs to see who you “really” are in your personal life. Make sure your Facebook page is professional and not a mess.

This will lead to unwanted questions in the interview or lead to no interview at all. 

LinkedIn, you should start a LinkedIn page. Not only will this help you with the job seeking quest, but online recruiters will most definitely look for your profile on LinkedIn. This is your shot to take advantage of this platform to follow, post articles and share related industry news. 

This can help tremendously to show off your professionalism.

Below are 3 freelancers to help you with LinkedIn profile creations for maximum effect.

Get your CV through the ATS barrier

What is an ATS? It is simply software known as Applicant Tracking Systems that scans your online CV for keywords like skills, experience, and education. Most recruiting companies make use of ATS software to help hiring managers work through 1000s of applicants. 

The hiring manager can set certain values and prerequisites to look for in a specific batch of CVs, like a minimum work experience.

If the ATS software can not parse your CV correctly, this can lead to an opportunity missed. 

This however makes it extremely important for your CV format to be on point with the job you are applying for. 

Below are some ATS CV formats you can use for FREE to get your CV ready for Indeed jobs software. 

Plus, if you don’t feel techie or creative enough, you can always try freelancers to help you set up a perfect ATS CV format. 

The perfect CV format and golden rules to follow to create a professional and clear Curriculum Vitae is the following: 

Choose clear and easy readable fonts – 

New Times Roman in black or dark blue at a size of 12 -14 points 

Headings you can bump up to 16 – 20 points in Bold for easy scanning.

Be consistent with the format

Keep everything in line and correct sizes, and do not jump around with fonts.

Do not add a ton of graphics

I know for some applications you want to be a more creative but for the hiring process online you need your CV clear of irrelevant graphics.

Be relevant and short

Stay relevant to your application for which you apply on Indeed jobs and stay brief with your content. No hiring manager is going to read a wall of text.