How to Choose the Right CV Building Tool For You

By Andrew Fennell

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If you need to create a professional CV quickly, then a CV builder can be a helpful tool. There are plenty of choices available on the web, but how do you know which one is right for you?

Depending on your needs, there are several factors you need to consider before you choose a builder to create your CV with.

 

CV template quality

The format and structure of your CV is of the utmost importance when you want to impress employers. Ensure that you can see examples of the finished CVs that the CV builder produces, and check that they are of a high standard.

Firstly, they must have a professional look and feel with a simple font, clearly divided sections and bold headings. The CV should be headed up with a profile and then list your roles in reverse chronological order, followed by an education section at the bottom.

Don’t be tempted to select a template with quirky design features and outlandish colour schemes, keep it simple and focus on highlighting your important skills.

 

User experience

The CV builder you choose needs to be simple and intuitive to use, or you risk wasting time and creating a sub-par CV. Ensure that you can log in to the tool easily, navigate the sections, add content easily and have plenty of control over the design. If there is any supporting documentation or even support staff to help you, then take advantage of it.               

Ideally, you want a builder that allows you to preview the final version of your CV so that you can check the progress you are making as you create it.

 

Price

Before you commit to a CV builder it’s important to know whether there are any costs involved. Most CV builders are free but some have premium upgrades that you can purchase for a monthly fee. Upgrades include extra CV template choices, grammar checks, CV web pages and other features that could potentially aid your job hunt.

Prices range from totally free, to around ten pounds per month, so decide if you want to invest any money, and if so, how much.

 

Download formats

It’s crucial to understand which formats you can download your CV in, or you could waste time creating one, only to find out that you can’t retrieve it in the format you need. Some builders allow you to download your CV in Microsoft Word format, which is great because you can make changes after you have downloaded and send editable versions to recruiters. Other builders only allow you to download your CV in PDF format which restricts you from making any changes to the document once it has been downloaded.

Consider all of the above elements before selecting a CV builder to use and you should be able to create an effective CV for your target employers. It is always helpful to do some research beforehand to understand the basics of an interview-winning CV.

 

Andrew Fennell is an experienced recruiter, founder of CV writing service StandOut CV and author of How to write a CV – The ultimate guide.

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