The CV is important because it is the first thing many employers look at when you apply to them, concluded Ballisager's recruitment analysis 2020. The companies also answered that it should be a maximum of 2 pages and that there should be a picture and a profile text on it.

Remember results, tasks, and setup

Ballisager's recruitment analysis 2020 showed 3 things that companies most often missed in a CV:

1. A description of results from previous jobs
2. Examples of completed tasks
3. A manageable setup

It can be a good benchmark for you when you create your CV. When it comes to results and examples, you can think about student jobs, voluntary work, and your semester projects. Don't underestimate the value of your student job, even though it may not be professionally relevant. Focus instead on, for example, the areas of responsibility you have had and what you have achieved within that framework.

The profile text: How do you fit in with the job?

The analysis also showed that over half prefer the profile text to be about how you match the job you are applying for. Therefore, try to create a forward-looking focus on in the profile text.

Regarding for the length of the profile text, it becomes a little trickier. 9 out of 10 do NOT want a profile section of more than 8 lines. And 40% want a maximum of 5 lines. So, you should make it as short and precise as possible and a maximum of 5-8 lines.

The setup: Graphical or standardized?

Setting up the CV is very much a matter of taste - it depends on both the recipient and the sender, i.e., you. Ballisager's recruitment analysis from 2022 investigated just this by showing 3 different setups: a strong graphic CV, a moderate graphic CV and a standardized CV.

In general, the youngest recipients liked the strong graphic CV the most, while older people liked the standardized one. However, the moderately graphic was the most popular.

A rule of thumb can therefore be to create a balanced setup that is neither too much of one nor the other.

The career counselors at AAU recommend that you relate to how the company communicates and try to match it - but don't try to be something you're not. Remember to also mention nationality and language skills. You never know if the company has thoughts of collaborating with your home country, and therefore language and cultural understanding is important to emphasize.