You’ve got the experience. You’ve delivered results. Your LinkedIn is polished, and you’ve even spent hours fiddling with your CV format to make it look the part. But the interviews? They’re not coming in.
This is more common than people like to admit. Great candidates get passed over every day—not because they’re underqualified, but because their CV doesn’t translate their value in a way that matters to hiring managers. Especially in marketing and digital, where every role has a dozen variations and job titles often mean different things depending on the company.
It’s Not What You Did, It’s How You Frame It
A marketing CV should be less of a list and more of a narrative. You’re not just stating your responsibilities; you’re selling your commercial impact. Think less “responsible for social content” and more “led content strategy that increased organic engagement by 40% over 6 months”.
Hiring managers aren’t just scanning for skills—they’re scanning for evidence. Numbers, outcomes, growth. Anything that shows you didn’t just do the work—you did it well, and it made a difference.
Tailored Beats Generic Every Time
One of the fastest ways to kill your chances? Sending the same CV to every role. Especially in marketing and digital, where job descriptions can vary wildly. A growth marketing role at a scale-up won’t prioritise the same skill set as a content strategist role at a creative agency.
Your CV needs to echo the language of the job spec. Pull out relevant examples. Prioritise the skills and tools they actually mention. Show them—visually and verbally—that you get what the role requires.
Design Isn’t Just About Aesthetics
Sure, we’re in a visual industry—but that doesn’t mean your CV should look like a design portfolio. The layout should enhance clarity, not compete for attention. Clean, consistent formatting. Clear sections. Easy to skim. Especially for digital marketers—your CV should feel like good UX.
A recruiter or hiring manager should be able to glance at it for 10 seconds and walk away with a sense of what you’re good at and where you’ve added value. That’s the bar.
We break all of this down in detail in our Guide to Competency-Based Interviews for Marketing & Digital Professionals—which also includes a free CV template designed to help you structure your experience with real impact. 👉 Available here
