These are the trends in 2020 when it comes to a digital CV

Looking for a new job? Online is the code word this year for job applications. A tip: your own CV website, with a matching domain name and video applications are the new trends in creating a great curriculum vitae to find your dream job. In this blog post we share a number of other trends when it comes to today's curriculum vitae.

"Quick scan" proof CV

If you apply for a vacancy, you know that you are not alone. Employers often receive hundreds of job applications. Going through all these CV’s in detail takes a lot of time. That is why the recruiter works on the basis of a "quick scan". You only have a few seconds before deciding whether your curriculum vitae will end up on the yes stack.

So, make sure that your digital CV is easy to scan. This is how you do it:

• Choose an easy to read format.
• Use bullets instead of long sentences.
• Add headings for the different parts in your document.
• Create an overview based on columns.
• Use standard fonts like Arial or Calibri.
• Make sure you have enough white space in your CV.

Hyperlinks in the contact information

Recruiters and employers are busy. Make their work easier by hyperlinking your email address, so that your application can be answered within a click. Also use active links to your LinkedIn profile and other social media accounts that are suitable to be seen by a potential employer.

Short but sweet

Although it is often said that a CV can be up to 2 pages long, it is best to keep to the following: a CV is as long as it takes to convey the content and not a word more. That said, a two-page resume may be suitable for someone with 30 years of experience, not for a high school student or recent graduate. Also keep the actual position you are applying for in mind, meaning; if you are applying for a job in human resources, it’s irrelevant to add your student job as a baby sitter or bar tender, especially if you have five of those references. Just add the most relevant and recent ones and skip the rest.

To save space, use bullet points, active verb forms and industry-specific terms. Finally, you can omit the obvious sentence "references available on request".

Your own CV website

Sending a CV as a PDF is now quite standard, but you stand out even more when you can show your own CV website or digital portfolio. Also consider a catchy domain name for your resume website. With a sleek and professional website you show that you pull out all the stops to achieve the desired result. A highly appreciated characteristic!

Video to present yourself
Sound and image say more than a thousand written words. A short presentation of yourself supplemented with results achieved is a powerful addition to your curriculum vitae. Or even better, add a video application to your CV website. You use all the advantages of applying online. It is an ideal way to leave a good first visual impression before you even have a conversation.

Informative illustration by means of an infographic

We said it before: you only have a few seconds to put your curriculum vitae on the yes stack. In addition to making your resume scannable or sending a video presentation, you can also steal the show with an infographic. Convert your written life course into a graphic representation of your work history with text and image. This allows recruiters to see at a glance what kind of person you are, where you have worked and what you have achieved. You can also choose to make the infographic interactive and make it part of your resume website.

QR code on your CV

You can also combine the above CV trends. How? By processing a QR code into the PDF version of your CV. This is how you lead the recruiter to your CV website where they can find a wealth of valuable background information such as your video presentation and that clear infographic.

Do you want to land that dream job? Then take advantage of the above-mentioned CV trends for 2020. With these tips, you are ready to create a CV that gets you that new job!