Read over your CV. It should now reflect the skills, experience, and values that the hiring manager is looking for. Check that those specific skills, experience, and values are prioritised first over other skills and experience. For example, if the advertisement highlighted that the successful applicant would be ‘process-driven’, and you have an example where you have created and implemented a new process with a positive outcome, ensure that appears first.

As a rule, put the most important elements in the first two-thirds of your CV.

Remember, your hiring manager is potentially looking at dozens – or even hundreds – of CVs. This might mean that they ‘skim read’ your CV. So even if you have listed all the relevant skills within your CV, they could get missed if they are not obvious.

What to avoid

• Try not to make the personalisation look too obvious. It should never be a direct copy-and-paste.
• Always be truthful. If you do not have a skill or attribute, do not list it. You can address any gaps in a cover letter and/or in the interview.

Remember, there is a key difference in knowing how to make a CV good and great. A good CV is generic; a great CV is well-researched, personalized, and prioritised.