Your CV is often the first thing a recruiter or hiring manager sees. In fast-moving markets like construction, civil and mining, CVs are reviewed quickly and used to decide who progresses.
That is why clarity, structure and relevance matter just as much as experience.
Start with context
Your name and contact details should be clear and easy to find, followed by a short summary. This section should explain who you are, what you specialise in, and the type of environments you have worked in, such as major infrastructure projects, mining operations, technical engineering roles or corporate support functions. A strong summary gives immediate context before the reader moves into your work history.
Make your experience easy to follow
List your experience clearly, starting with your most recent role. For each position, include job title, company name, location and dates of employment. This is especially important in contract, project-based and site roles where timelines matter.
Under each role, separate responsibilities from achievements where possible. This helps show what you did on site or in role, how recently you used those skills, and the scale or complexity of the work.
Focus on relevance
Tailoring your CV does not mean rewriting it every time. It means prioritising experience that aligns with the role you are applying for. For example, infrastructure delivery, shutdown work, leadership experience, technical systems, or commercial exposure.
If something is less relevant, keep it brief. If it directly aligns with the role, give it more detail.
Highlight outcomes, not just duties
Strong CVs explain outcomes, not just tasks. This could include projects delivered, programmes completed, safety outcomes, productivity improvements, budgets managed, or teams led. Outcomes help differentiate you from candidates with similar technical backgrounds.
Keep formatting clean and consistent
Recruiters need to understand your experience quickly. Use consistent font sizes, clear headings, bullet points and good spacing. Avoid excessive logos, graphics or heavy design. Simple formatting helps your experience stand out.
Include the essentials
Before sending your CV, check that it clearly includes relevant experience and progression, skills, licences or certifications required for your market, accurate dates and job titles, and clear contact details.
Length matters
Your CV should be detailed enough to show your capability, but concise enough to hold attention. Keep it focused and avoid repetition. Quality over quantity always wins.
A good CV is not an information dump. It is a communication tool designed to quickly show who you are, what you do, and where your experience fits. Clear, structured and relevant CVs consistently perform better across the markets we recruit in.
