Welcome to Week 5 of our Your 12-Week Pathway to Jobs Expo Galway Success series, brought to you by Recruit.ie. Each week, we’re breaking down essential strategies to help jobseekers get ready for Jobs Expo Galway, taking place on Saturday, 27th September 2025 at the Galmont Hotel & Spa.
This week, we’re diving into CV Mastery: how to craft a compelling, tailored CV that makes it through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and lands in the hands of hiring managers. We’ll guide you through the key elements of personalisation, structure, and showcasing your impact so that your CV stands out.
1. Tailor Your CV to Every Opportunity
A generic CV won’t cut it in today’s competitive job market. Customise your CV for the roles and companies you’re most interested in meeting at Jobs Expo Galway.
- Use the job description as a guide. Mirror the language and required skills in your CV.
- Highlight relevant experience. Make it clear how your past roles align with the job you want.
- Include a targeted personal statement. Summarise your professional goals and value proposition in 3–4 lines at the top of your CV.
Pro tip: Keep a master CV with all your experience, then create tailored versions for each opportunity.
2. Optimise for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)
Many companies at the Jobs Expo will be using ATS to manage job applications—even those collected in person or online. If your CV isn’t optimised, it could be filtered out before a human ever sees it.
- Use standard headings (e.g., Work Experience, Education, Skills).
- Avoid fancy formatting (tables, images, graphics, unusual fonts can confuse ATS).
- Incorporate keywords from the job description naturally throughout your CV.
- Submit in the right format—PDF is generally safe, but check if Word is preferred.
Think of your CV like SEO for jobs—the right keywords increase visibility.
3. Showcase Achievements, Not Just Responsibilities
Employers want to see what you’ve accomplished, not just what you were hired to do.
- Replace passive phrases like “Responsible for managing a team” with results like “Led a team of 5 to exceed quarterly targets by 20%.”
- Use quantifiable metrics when possible: percentages, revenue, time saved, cost reductions, etc.
- Include industry awards, promotions, or standout projects that support your professional story.
Structure your bullet points with the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result.
Your CV Checklist for Week 5:
- Personalised summary tailored to the role/industry
- Clean formatting with no distracting visuals
- Relevant keywords used throughout
- Clear, measurable accomplishments listed
- ATS-friendly format (.docx or .pdf, no unusual layouts)
- Updated contact details and LinkedIn profile link
Final Tip: Bring Printed Copies to Jobs Expo Galway
Even if you’ve applied online, many exhibitors appreciate a hard copy at the event. Print a short stack of your best CV version and keep them in a neat folder or portfolio.
Jobs Expo Galway | Saturday, 13th September 2025 | The Galmont Hotel & Spa
Brought to you by Recruit.ie – Connecting talent with opportunity.
What can you expect at Jobs Expo Galway?
- Employers actively recruiting for hundreds of jobs at home and abroad
- Specialised areas dedicated to jobs in particular industries
- The Career Clinic offering one-on-one CV, job seeking and career advice from professional career guidance counsellors
- A packed seminar timetable on important and topical issues by a range of industry experts
Career Clinic
The Career Clinic offers the chance for attendees to meet with professional development coaches. They can help candidates with crucial issues such as interview skills, CV presentation and changing career direction.
Agenda Stage
Jobs Expo’s Agenda Stage will host talks on a variety of topics including jobseeking skills such as using social media to land your dream job and interview techniques as well as a CV writing workshop. Other seminars include talks by industry insiders on a variety of career topics.
We look forward to seeing you at Jobs Expo Galway!
https://www.recruit.ie/careers/your-12-week-pathway-to-jobs-expo-galway-success-week-4-the-strategic-job-search-where-to-look-how-to-target-opportunities/