The Fashion CV Advice I’ve Been Given

All throughout sixth form, university and my working life, I’ve been given millions of pieces of advice when it comes to writing the perfect CV. A lot of it was contradictory, and sometimes I get confused about what to include and what to leave out.

However, during the recent Retail Appointment Live event, I received some really useful help with my CV, and left me thinking that it’s actually very simple. Here’s some of the advice I picked up from retail recruitment agencies:

1. Keep it basic – short sentences with simple language
2. Use key words, like accuracy, time management and organisation – but don’t go overboard and make sure it still make sense!
3. Quantify things – instead of ‘used photoshop’ say ‘used photoshop daily’, and include any impressive figures e.g. sales
4. Focus on achievements in each job, rather than lists of duties
5. Put job titles in bold or make them stand out somehow – these are the first thing an employer will scan your CV for
6. Be selective – only include details from the last 5 years, and simply list jobs older than that. Don’t include things that aren’t relevant at all, such as first aid or a clean driving license, fashion recruiters just aren’t interested!
7. Make the most of your degree – what was your dissertation or final project on? Which module did you really enjoy?
8. Keep the format basic – get rid of colours, text boxes, varying fonts and sizes, and any weird columns. If you’re applying for a design role you have a little more flexibility and can get a little creative, but still keep it professional. Attach any portfolio pieces separately.
9. Keep it orderly – start with the most recent experience and work backwards
10. Keep it tailored and conduct a ‘five second guess’ test – could someone guess what job you are applying for from your cv?

Here’s the layout most recruiters agreed they like to see:

Is there anything else I’m missing?

Still looking for that dream job x