I have always been a fan of Microsoft Word, it’s functional, does the job and easy to edit and update. Over the many years of supporting my clients to improve their chances in getting invited for an interview and winning the offer, I’ve seen hundreds of resumes all looking the same with this “modern” layout of photo on the left, thick column of color, skills bar with a scale out of 5 etc. You know the ones i’m talking about.

I have for many years encouraged people away from using Canva to make their CVs for one very big reason, don’t let a template dictate how you should present yourself. More often than not, these templates force the writer to leave out information simply because it wont fit or interferes with the design.

However, and it’s a big HOWEVER, I saw a resume that blew me away. It had design, it was functional and it was perfectly unique. It ticked off all the right boxes!

So, I decided to revisit Canva with a new set of eyes and a mission to challenge my bias. 

Here are a few tips in getting the most out of Canva when creating your CV and not falling into the trap of being controlled by the templates. 

1. The text contained in your resume is the most important component, it is what the company is hiring you for and is what they will base their selection group on. Plan this out first before opening Canva, make sure that your priority is communicating the right information so that this leads your decision making rather than a design. If you’d like to find out more on how to do this, visit our previous article on how to tailor your resume perfectly to the role. 
2. Head to Canva and look at many different templates to inspire you on how you can present your Personal and Professional Brand. 
3. Open a blank Canva page and start copying the text from #1 as body text and start laying it out
4. Include Name and contact information, personal profile summary, key skills and competences, work experience, education, certifications etc.
5. Use a maximum of 3 font styles for example. Name – Header – Body Text. Over using different fonts will make it difficult to read and confusing for the recruiter. 
6. Now start including elements from the inspired design to your document. 
7. Lastly, get someone to critique your resume and ask for honest feedback. 

If you’d like to start preparing for a job interview and getting your CV and resume ready, book a discovery call with me today for free to find out how Interview Coaching can increase your chances of getting hired. 

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