How to make sure your CV wins interviews

You’re applying. You’re qualified. You’re getting silence. The issue often isn’t your experience, it’s how you frame it.

Results sell

“Responsible for” reads like a job description. It doesn’t prove value.

Upgrade every bullet with this formula:

Action + Metric + Impact + Context

• Action: what you did.
• Metric: number, percentage, time, or money.
• Impact: what improved.
• Context: scale, tools, or complexity.

Swap these in

• Claims Handler → “Cut average claim lifecycle from 62 to 41 days by triaging FNOL and standardising supplier SLAs across three regions.”
• Loss Adjuster → “Recovered £420k through repudiations by tightening liability assessments and evidence packs, improving loss ratios on two portfolios.”
• Paraplanner → “Reduced rework by 38% by building a cashflow template in Voyant and a pre-advice QA checklist.”

If you don’t have any hard numbers, use credible proxies. Case volumes, time saved, error rates, budgets, or team sizes work well.

Turn everyday tasks into achievements

Pick three routine tasks and rewrite them with the formula.

• Stakeholder updates → “Ran weekly case huddles with eight stakeholders, cleared blockers within 24 hours, lifted on-time settlements to 94%.”
• Data entry → “Removed duplicate input across CRM and claims platform using validation rules, saving six hours per week.”
• Team support → “Mentored two new adjusters with a 30-60-90 plan, bringing them to full caseload four weeks early.”

Five bullets like these change how your CV is read.

Tell a short story people will remember

Facts win trust. Stories stick.

Under your key roles, use three tight lines:

• Challenge: what wasn’t working.
• Action: what you did.
• Result: the measurable outcome.

Example for a Senior Adjuster: “Major loss claims were breaching SLAs. Mapped the process, fixed supplier handoffs, and introduced daily ‘Take 5’ checks. Reduced breaches from 18% to 3%.”

Tailor it to the spec, ruthlessly

Open the advert. Highlight the five skills repeated or emphasised. Mirror those terms in your profile, skills block, and role bullets.

Add one proof-of-fit achievement per key skill:

• Regulatory knowledge → “Delivered 100% compliant files after creating an IDD checklist used by a five-person team.”
• Client management → “Retained two at-risk HNW clients by introducing quarterly review packs with clear performance variance.”

Applicant tracking systems are literal, use the employer’s language where it is accurate and true.

Write a profile people actually read

Skip buzzwords and give evidence.

• Who you are: role and scope.
• Best proof: two relevant wins with numbers.
• Reason why: what you’re targeting next.

Example

“CILA-progressing Adjuster with five years in domestic and commercial property claims. Cut cycle time by 30% and recovered £250k through evidence-led liability challenges. Now seeking broader major loss exposure.”

Graduates should lead with education and practical wins. Name modules, dissertations with grades, placements, clinics, or society leadership. If you are on a qualification pathway, say so.

Layout tweaks that make a big difference

Aim for clarity in six seconds.

Graduates or career-changers

Lead with Education and Projects/Placements. Add a Skills block mapped to the advert. Put Experience after, highlighting transferable wins.

Early- to mid-career

Lead with a sharp Profile, then Experience with 4–6 achievement bullets per role. Add Key Skills, Certifications, and Tools/Tech.

Senior candidates

Lead with Profile and a Selected Achievements section that shows scope, regulatory ownership, and P&L impact. Follow with Career History and Professional (boards, speaking, publications) if relevant.

Design rules

One clean column. Consistent dates. Bold only job titles and headers. Keep bullets to one line. Two pages for most. One for grads. Three only if your scope truly warrants it.

Make portals and ATS work for you

Save as PDF, unless the employer requests Word.

Filename: Firstname_Lastname_Role_CV.pdf.

Use standard headings recruiters search for.

Avoid heavy tables if you’re uploading to a portal that strips formatting.

Add a Keywords line only when it reads naturally.

Quick win checklist

Every bullet shows Action + Metric + Impact + Context.

The advert’s top five skills appear in your profile, skills, and role bullets.

Your most relevant proof sits on page one, above the fold.

Buzzwords out. Evidence in.

Contact details and a custom LinkedIn URL are clear.

Want a recruiter tune-up?

Send us your CV for a free first-page edit and a role-matched keyword map. You can register your CV or browse live jobs with Exchange Street. Prefer a quick chat? Our team is happy to help. Get in touch with us on 0161 973 6900 or email us at recruit@exchange-street.co.uk