For many people, the festive period brings a natural pause in recruitment activity. Hiring managers take leave, decision-making slows down, and application timelines often stretch. While this can feel frustrating if you are actively job searching, it can also be an opportunity. When the pressure to apply immediately eases, you can focus on preparation in a calmer, more deliberate way.
A quieter moment is often the best time to review your CV properly. In busy periods, it is easy to make quick edits, send applications, and hope for the best. Over the holidays, you can step back and improve your CV with more care, so that when opportunities increase in January and beyond, you are ready to act with confidence.
Start by reading your CV as if you were seeing it for the first time. Does it clearly communicate what you do now, and what you are good at? Would someone outside your organisation understand your role without needing inside knowledge? Many CVs make sense to colleagues but feel unclear to an external reader. If your CV relies heavily on acronyms, internal project names, or specialist terminology, consider rewriting a few lines to make your work easier to understand. Clarity does not reduce expertise — it makes expertise visible.
It can also help to check whether your opening section is doing its job. Your profile or summary should give the reader a quick sense of your level, strengths, and direction. If it feels vague or overly general, this is a good time to refine it so it reflects the type of role you want to move into.
Next, review how you describe your experience. Many CVs focus on responsibilities, but employers tend to respond better to outcomes. Where possible, shift the emphasis from what you were “responsible for” to what changed because of your work. This might include improvements in quality, efficiency, delivery, engagement, or outcomes for colleagues, customers, students, or service users. You do not need precise figures for every role — clear impact is often enough.
It is also worth checking the balance of your CV. Is the most relevant experience easy to find, or is it buried beneath older roles? A CV is not a full career history. It is a focused document designed to help an employer quickly understand why you are a strong fit. If you are changing direction, small adjustments to structure and emphasis can help your transferable skills stand out.
Finally, take time to review the basics. Dates, job titles, formatting consistency, and small errors all affect how professional your CV appears. A well-presented CV signals care and attention before you have even had a conversation.
You do not need to complete your CV over the holidays. Even one or two focused sessions — improving clarity, strengthening your summary, and sharpening how you present impact — can leave you in a much stronger position for the new year.
If you’re planning your next move, creating a free Diversity Dashboard profile lets you save roles, manage applications, and apply when the time feels right.