The first pass is short
A recruiter screening a shortlist gives each CV a matter of seconds on the first pass. That is not carelessness; it is triage. Your job is to make the top third of the first page answer the only question being asked: could this person do this role?
Lead with outcomes, not duties
'Responsible for managing the reporting process' tells a reader nothing. 'Cut month-end close from nine days to four' tells them what you are capable of. Wherever you can attach a number — time, cost, volume, percentage — do it. Where you genuinely cannot, describe the before and after.
Cut the things nobody reads
Personal statements full of adjectives, lists of soft skills you have asserted rather than evidenced, and full addresses all take up the most valuable space on the page. Skills sections are worth keeping only where they are specific and genuinely relevant to the role.
Explain the gaps yourself
Career breaks, short tenures, and changes of direction are completely normal. What creates doubt is leaving them unexplained. One clear line removes the question before anyone has to ask it.
Tailor the top, not the whole thing
Rewriting your entire CV for every application is unsustainable. Adjusting the opening summary and reordering your most recent role's bullet points to match the brief takes ten minutes and does most of the work.