Congratulations on graduating from university! Now it's time to start your job search. But before you start sending out your job application, you need to have a quality CV (otherwise also commonly referred to as a resume albeit with some differences). And it's important to make sure that your CV (resume) is top notch. In Pakistan, a well-written CV can make all the difference between landing the best jobs with the top companies.

In this blog post, we'll share tips on how to write a CV that will impress hiring managers across some of the leading companies in Pakistan.

A CV, or curriculum vitae, is a document that summarizes your educational, professional, and personal background. It is an essential tool for job seekers, as it allows you to showcase your skills and experience to potential employers.

In Pakistan, a CV is typically the first thing that an employer will see, so it's important to make sure that it makes a good impression. A well-written CV will show that you're qualified for the job, that you're a professional, and that you're someone that potential employers would want to work with. Think of this document as one which can helps differentiate yourself from competition and can lead you to get your first interview.

Here are some tips on how to write a CV that will land you your dream job in Pakistan:

• Start by brainstorming your skills and experience. What are you good at? What have you accomplished in your previous roles, be it at work or an internship or even during school projects? Literally, take a piece of paper, just create a couple of columns and start putting down your ideas for each aspect. This will help you craft your CV to highlight your strengths.
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• Research the jobs you are applying for. After having done the first step, you’ll know what you are good at. And now is the time to start looking at job opportunities out there and trying to understand their requirements and the responsibilities within those jobs. Are there any that peak your interest? Are there any in which your strengths will help you succeed? Start highlighting these jobs and come up with around 5-10 job opportunities that are interesting.
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• Build your CV so it covers all key sections: While its important to showcase your experience, at the end of the of the day, an employer is hiring you to join their company. And you are a lot more than the experiences you list in your resume. We encourage all applications to have at least four sections in their CV:

Personal: This should tell me a bit about who you are and what your ambitions and professional goals are.
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Work Experience: Highlight your the key responsibilities and tasks you took on in other jobs and ideally showcase what you learned or achieved in those roles.
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Educational Background: A snapshot of where you studied, degrees or certifications you earned, and what courses you took should be sufficient.
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Interests and Extra-curriculars: Companies also like to know what you are all about, after all they are hiring you as the person you are. Anything that you care about or spend more time doing is fair game, e..g playing sports, being part of social causes, etc.

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• Tailor your CV to each job you apply for. After you have laid out the structure and know your strengths and what kind of jobs you want, its time to start putting together your CV. Take the time to see what are similarities in terms of requirements, e.g. an undergraduate degree or minimum 2 years of work experience and potential responsibilities, e.g. strong communication abilities, and try to tailor your CV so that companies can immediately tell you are a standout candidate for the job. For templates and examples check out this post.
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• Use bolds and underlines can also be useful. Now that you have the a strong first draft of your CV prepared, its time to really add polish and finesse. Its important that your CV writing takes into account the key words that an employer or their hiring team are looking to make sure you have, e.g., some knowledge or experience about items highlighted in their requirements sections. For instance, if companies are looking for experience in design and marketing, its important to highlight if you’ve taken any courses or have specifically performed any tasks pertaining to them. You can make these words or your achievements stand out by using bolds or underlines within your CV. Don’t overdo, just enough so it makes it easier for a hiring manager to see that you can be a great fit for their company.
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• Proofread and design your CV so it is easy to read. We strongly recommend keeping your CV short, generally one page should be sufficient for most entry level job opportunities and in most instances even with 5-10 years of work experience, you should package it together within two pages. Remember, most companies and their hiring teams will not have enough time to go through pages of information just to see if you could be a relevant candidate. Doing the simple things can go a long way: keep it simple and short, make sure there are no spelling mistake, and play around with font sizes, bold or italics, to make yourself stand out.

In addition to your education, skills and experience, it's also important to tell your story in your CV. This means sharing your personal and professional goals, as well as your unique selling points. At the end of the day, while employers hire people to do a job for them, they are also hiring people that can enhance the environment of their organization.

Your story should be clear, concise, and engaging. Be authentic and true to who you are and don’t oversell. Your CV should give potential employers a sense of who you are as a person and why you're a good fit for the job and the company. For more details refer to some of these articles: Improve Your Résumé by Turning Bullet Points into Stories and Storytelling: The Secret Formula For An Engaging Resume

By following these tips, you can write a CV that will land you your dream job in Pakistan. So what are you waiting for? Set your CV today!

A summary of the tips to help you find the best jobs in Pakistan.

• Brainstorm to come up with your strengths and better understand what kind of responsibilities you would enjoy taking on.
• Research the job market to get a sense of what opportunities interest you and understand what requirements and responsibilities employers want to give potential employees in those roles.
• Make sure your CV covers all key sections an employers wants to know about you: Your personal goals, work experience, educational background, and any interests you may have.
• Tailor your CV to each job you apply for. Highlight the skills and experience that are most relevant to the specific role.
• Use keywords and examples of previous education or experience to showcase how you can be great fit for the role. This will help your CV get noticed by potential employers.
• Get feedback on your CV from friends, family, or career counselors. They can help you identify any areas that could be improved.
• Don't be afraid to ask for help. There are many resources available to help young professionals write high-quality CVs and of course you also should check with older friends and family members for guidance too.