Understanding Structure, ATS, Professional Gaps & Outdated Practices

1. Understanding Your CV’s Purpose (Complementary Explanation)

Your CV is not a biography. It is a marketing tool.
Everything you include should answer one question:
“Does this help me get the job I’m applying for?”
If the answer is no — remove it.

2. Filling Gaps With Intention

Your handbook shows how to explain gaps.
Here, I want you to think differently:
A gap is not “missing time.”
A gap is “time you used for something else.”
Your job is to show what that “something else” taught you or how it helped you grow.

Practical rule:
Write one sentence that shows purpose, not apology.

3. Making Your CV Feel Modern (Beyond the PDF)

A modern CV is not just about margins or fonts — it’s about energy.
Does your CV sound alive, or does it read like a list of tasks?

Small changes make a big difference:

• Start bullets with strong verbs.

• Show results, not duties.

• Cut anything that doesn’t add value.

• Keep your layout clean and breathable.

This creates a CV that feels confident instead of cramped.

4. Why Digital Presentation Matters

Your handbook explains margins and formatting.
What it doesn’t say directly is this: your CV should behave well on any screen.
Recruiters open CVs on:

• laptops

• tablets

• small phones

If your design is too busy, too small, or too wide, it loses impact.
Clean structure → universal readability.

5. Outdated Practices You Must Let Go

We all grew up believing physical CVs were the professional standard.
Not anymore.

Here’s the truth:
If a company wants you badly enough, they’re not waiting for a paper CV — they’re checking your digital one.

This shift means your online presentation (email submissions, clean PDFs, clickable LinkedIn links, etc.) is now part of your professionalism.

6. Practical Activity: Transform One Bullet Point

Take one bullet point from your CV.
Rewrite it using this formula:

Action → How you did it → Why it mattered

Example:
“Handled customer issues” →
“Solved daily customer issues by identifying patterns and improving response times, which reduced repeat complaints.”

This is the difference between sounding busy vs sounding valuable.

7. Mini Exercise: Fix Your Education Section

Based on the handbook + this lesson, adjust your education section:

1. Remove primary school.

2. Keep high school only if you don’t have higher education or experience.

3. Highlight relevant coursework only.

4. Add certifications that support your job goals.

This helps your CV grow with you instead of staying stuck in your past.

8. Reflection: What Story Is Your CV Telling?

Every CV tells a story — even when you don’t try.
What story is yours telling right now?

Does it say “I’m prepared”?
Does it say “I’m growing”?
Does it say “I’m ready for this role”?

If not, you now know what to fix.