What Are Alternative CV Formats?

Designed to highlight your artistic ability, alternative CVs are typically used to apply for jobs that focus on design, art, technology, media, and publishing. Depending on your specific industry or job type, there are various creative ways to highlight your professional skill set and personality using multimedia or visual CV formats.

Whether you’re looking for a job in the culinary arts or you’re switching careers and want to try your hand at sales, your CV is an extremely valuable tool in your job search. Your CV is the first chance you get to make a good impression, so having an updated and well-formatted CV is essential to your success.

Even if you are considering creating a visual or multimedia CV, you should always have a conventional CV, especially when posting your information to online job boards. If a recruiter asks for your CV, you can give them a copy of your visual CV along with your traditional CV. They can then decide which version they want to use.

Who Invented the CV?

The traditional CV has come a long way over the past five centuries. You may be surprised to know that Italian artist and inventor Leonardi Da Vinci originated the first handwritten résumé in 1482. The term résumé comes from the French word résumer meaning 'to summarise,' while CV comes from the Latin word 'curriculum vitae,' meaning 'course of (one's) life.' If you're in the UK, you'll typically use a CV format that is more detailed and usually multiple pages in length.

With the advances and innovations in technology, editing software, and social media - multimedia and digital CVs have become increasingly popular with job seekers. If you are searching for a new career and want to stand out from the competition, it's never been easier to add flair and character to your CV.

Read on, and we'll explain the different types of CV templates and the more elaborate mixed media CV options.

What are the Conventional CV Formats?

While there are many CV formats, the three primary types are chronological, functional (or skills-based), and combination. There are two ways to save your file- PDF and word document. It's a good idea to have one version of each. When sending out your CV, make sure you know what file format the recruiter is requesting.

Chronological CV

This is the most common CV type and works best for job seekers with a solid work history. It starts with listing your professional history in reverse chronological order, meaning you list your most recent job first and work backward to your earliest job.

Employers typically prefer this CV format as it's easy to see what jobs you have worked at, and it gives a more comprehensive timeline of your experience. If you are just starting out in your career, you might consider using a different CV type.

Skills-Based CV

This type of CV, also known as a functional CV, focuses on your skillsand education and is helpful for those with limited work experience, such as recent graduates or people who are changing careers. This CV format also works if you have gaps in your employment history or if you are applying for a job that is unrelated to your degree.

Instead of having a work experience section at the top of your CV, you may want to include a skills or accomplishments section that lists the skills you have developed from your academic, professional, and personal life. Remember to:

• highlight your skills profile to catch the recruiter's attention.
• match your skills with the job description and use relevant keywords.
• provide real-life examples of how you've used your skills.

Combination CV

This CV format is a fusion of a chronological CV and a skills-based CV. A combination or hybrid CV is more detailed than other CV types and provides more flexibility than other CV formats. You should use this CV format if you want to showcase your skills and have a solid professional background in the same industry.

You can include your skills, education, and work experience in order of relevance, starting with the most important section. Remember to focus on aspects relevant to the position you are applying for.

What are Alternative CVs?

Now that you're familiar with the traditional types of CV formats let's look at some ways to create jaw-dropping visual CVs that will impress the socks off your future employer. A creative or alternative CV should only be used if it fits the position you are applying for. Also, take into account that the recruiter may not have the resources or software to access your creative version. It's a good idea to clarify this with the recruiter before sending it off.

Portfolio

If you are applying for a job in the creative field, your portfolio is often just as important as your CV. An eye-catching portfolio showing your best work can help you stand out in a crowded hiring pool. Portfolios are commonly used in areas where visual impact is essential such as:

• graphic design
• architecture
• photography
• web design
• writing
• art

A portfolio is a curated collection of your most impressive work. You'll often be asked to submit your portfolio along with your CV before your interview. Your portfolio can be presented in a multitude of mixed media. It could be in the form of a video, a professional website, personal landing page, music playlist, voice samples, or online art flipping book. Or it could be a physical folder with your drawings and sketches. You can add items to your portfolio such as photos, blueprints, writing samples, online projects, or publications.

Online or digital portfolios have become more and more popular with creatives. There are numerous free online portfolio makers where you can create stunning professional-looking portfolios in as little as a few hours.

You could even embed a link or QR code in your CV that will take a potential employer to your digital portfolio. Just remember to have hard copies or digital backup copies of your work just in case there are any internet issues or broken links when you send it off.

Infographic CVs

An infographic is another visual type of alternative CV format. It uses graphics, icons, illustrations, graphs, and charts to present key information about your work experience, skills, and achievements. An infographic CV aims to help a potential employer engage quickly and understand key points.

Instead of listing your skills, you could create a colourful pie chart to show your development in each of them. You could also design a graph that shows how many projects you've worked on. These visual CV formats work well if you're in graphic design, IT, or web design, but they can also be effective in marketing or project management.

Infographic CVs can allow you to use your creativity to emphasise specific information and showcase why you are the best candidate for the job. Remember to display the information clearly and logically and try not to go over the top with graphics. If you're tech-savvy, you'll find this easy to do, but if not, there are numerous free online resources to get you started.

Also, keep in mind that keyword scanning software applications won't pick up infographic CVs, so you should send them out with a traditional CV. You could post them on your social media pages or attach them to an email application.

Video CVs

Video CVs are becoming increasingly popular, especially among young professionals and new graduates (the Gen Z generation.) With the rise of remote working, online communication is more important than ever before, and employers are now seeking the power of social media and video platforms to find talent. Video CVs are trending in creative industries and customer-facing roles such as marketing, media, creative arts, public relations, and sales.

If you're deciding to create a video CV, think about the role you're applying for and research the company's culture. This way, you can determine whether this type of visual CV format is suitable or not.

Getting in front of a camera and putting yourself into cyberspace can be daunting, but a video CV can showcase your personality, creativity, and passion if you get it right. So, how do you do this? There are various apps on your smartphone that let you film a video, edit, upload, and share it across multiple platforms. You can create a brief video clip to introduce yourself to potential employers. You'll discuss your skills and experience and show why you are the most suitable candidate.

You can send the video directly to recruiters via email or upload it to video hosting platforms such as YouTube or Vimeo.

When creating your video CV, remember to:

• stay professional
• write out a script for the video and practise in front of family and friends
• keep it short – a minute to ninety seconds is advisable
• be creative – don't just read the script – show off your personality and be authentic.
• ask someone you trust for feedback

Are You Feeling Confident About Your Next Job Application? Begin Your Job Search Today

Now that you're familiar with the different types of CV formats, you can be confident in beginning your job search with Monster. Create your profile today and take the next step in finding your dream job. You'll receive customised job alerts, career advice, and job search tips straight to your inbox. After you've signed up, you can upload your CV, and we'll match you with positions that fit your experience and goals.