Engaging the reader
It is always tempting to try to make oneself stand out and be noticed among the large number of candidates. However, in order to arouse the interest of a recruiter, trying to be original is not necessarily the best approach to take. It is important to remain straightforward and to understand that it is only your experience that is of interest to the employer.
All the experts agree on this point: the chosen format should support the aim of a CV and should reflect whatever the candidate wants to emphasize. The form should never eclipse the content of a CV. The CV needs to be straightforward, clear and easy to read. Human resources firms generally prefer concise and uncluttered CVs. According to Michel Ohayon from Barbara Shore and Associates, a Canadian recruitment firm, “It is important to remain professional. An unconventional CV compromises the credibility of the candidate. One must be able to judge how the reader will perceive the document.”
What kind of formatting should you choose for your CV?
Some recruiters prefer the classic form: Arial, Verdana or Times New Roman, in black, using Italics, Bold and Underline only when necessary. Such is the opinion of André Letourneau, president of the recruiting firm Altéo, who reminds us that “the CV is a communication tool, not a work of art.” Aside from exceptional cases, the important thing is clarity and thus a simple format.
Other recruiters, on the contrary, seem to be less reticent with respect to a certain degree of originality in the CV. Such is the case with Yves Quintal, director and founder of the recruitment agency Quintal, affiliated with the Canada-wide recruitment network Aplin. “Some people will tell you never to use colours. Personally, I don’t mind them, as long as there are not more than two or three and they are used judiciously.” A distinctive touch that is beyond the ordinary can be used if you have the sense that the reader will be open-minded. When a recruiter reads dozens of CVs, a document that is somewhat out of the ordinary may be very welcome.
Imaginativeness in the artistic domain
“A CV can become the tool with which candidates demonstrate some if their skills and abilities. For example, a graphic artist can include a bit of fantasy,” says Olivia Morin, employment counselor for the Carrefour Jeunesse Emploi Montréal Centre Ville. “On the other hand, we recommend that candidates in non-creative domains keep things simple.” André Letourneau confirms that an original format style can be suitable for certain types of work. “It is obvious that if the candidate is an artist or graphic artist, it is in their interest to use formatting that reflects their technical and creative skills.”
Some recruiters have received CVs as farfetched as “postcard format” or “pamphlet format”. Candidates who apply for positions as designers in the domain of publicity necessarily compete in terms of inventiveness.
Embellishing the CV
Most specialists advise against using logos in the CV. First of all, they do not add any relevant information about the candidate nor the company. Secondly, they clutter up the page. As André Letourneau summarizes: “Sometimes we receive CVs full of logos. Honestly, they look more like publicity flyers than CVs.”
On the other hand, recruiters are not averse to hyperlinks, which, if used judiciously and with moderation, can add value to a CV. You can, for example, insert a link to the websites of your previous employers if they are not well known, or to one of your projects that can be viewed on the Internet.
Christopher Livingston of Proforce Personnel concludes in a few words, “The look of the CV does not really interest me. I don’t pay much attention to the formatting or the originality. It must be clean and clear of course, but the most important thing is that the most relevant information catches the eye at the very beginning of the document.”