Is your CV getting you the right attention in your Dubai job search?

Your curriculum vitae (Latin for ‘course of life’) will most likely be your first point of contact with a potential employer. It’s a simple document that represents you on paper, and it may be the only form of communication that decides if you are a suitable candidate. When looking for a job in Dubai, it’s essential that you get it right. Here are our top tips to consider when writing your CV!

Your Audience

When applying for a corporate administrative or support role, consider your audience. Who is going to read your CV?  The list may include recruiters, HR professionals, talent acquisition managers and ultimately the person who will make the decision to hire you or not.

Grammar

As one of the leading job agencies in Dubai, we know how frustrated some hiring managers can get when they see errors on jobseekers’ CVs. Always check your spelling, punctuation, and syntax, as you’ll be judged accordingly! If you’re applying for a role that requires ‘great attention to detail’, your CV must reflect this! Similarly, if your potential new role involves written communication, a poorly written CV will not get you to the interview stage.

Style

Your CV is not a high school art project, so please refrain from technicolour company logos, stylized bullet points, or colourful backgrounds. CVs are usually printed in black and white – so all that rainbow you’ve painstakingly added will just become various shades of grey!

Format

It’s best to stick to one font in black, as the document will become too cluttered and hard to read otherwise. Bold is fine for headings and subheadings, but don’t stray down the path of italics or go overboard with underlining! A well-formatted CV that is clear and easy to read will have a higher chance of being pulled from the pile for a closer look. In addition, avoid slang, jargon, and text speak. You may, however, include familiar terms and commonly used abbreviations, such as ‘PA’ or ‘HR’.

Brevity

Keep the biography/personal statement brief, ensure you’re concise and accurate when listing your skills and experience, and ensure your dates tally. You will probably be asked questions based on your CV, so be prepared to expand on your past roles and achievements, and know your CV inside-out. You should also modify your CV depending on the role you’re applying for. For example, suppose you’re looking for PA jobs in Dubai. In that case, your CV should focus only on your experience in similar support roles, and mention skills like gatekeeping, diary management, and scheduling.

These simple tips will instantly make your CV more legible, give it credibility, and help you to stand out from the crowd. This is your chance to sell yourself, so take the time to do it right. Remember – you never get a second chance to make a first impression!

Tiger Recruitment is one of the leading job agencies in Dubai. Submit your details or browse our live job listings today!

Author Tiger Contributor Tiger Recruitment Team