The Secret To A Standout CV: From Overlooked To Super-booked
Whenever I help people with their CVs, there’s a common mistake I see people making.
Something that drastically reduces their chances of being shortlisted for a role.
It’s such an easy fix though. So I wanted to share what that is and how to address it within your own CV.
If you’re on the job hunt, or you’d like to ensure your CV is stellar just in case, this is one you won’t want to miss.
The BIGGEST mistake I see people making is that they:
Focus too much on “what they did” and not enough on the “so what”.
i.e. They focus on the tasks and not enough on outcomes.
Tasks simply indicate you had that job.
The so-what indicates the value you bring + your level of performance. 👏👏👏
Which is far more appealing to a recruiter (or hiring manager).
It’s the difference between them thinking
“Yeah, ok. It looks like they’ve done something similar before. But – next!”
VS
“Wow, impressive results. I want some of that for our team!”
If you’re on the job hunt and you’re struggling to get interviews, perhaps you haven’t truly showcased your VALUE yet.
WHY ACHIEVEMENTS ARE IMPORTANT
A study by Jobscan in 2025 found (source: The State of the Job Search in 2025):
- The top way to stand out was to list measurable achievements
- 58% of recruiters want to see measurable achievements on CVs
MY 3-PART S.M.E FRAMEWORK
So how do you go about turning ho-hum tasks into scroll-stopping achievements!? 👀
Step 1 – S | So What
You want to add the So What to the Task.
What business or end outcome did your task result in?
Step 2 – M | Measure It
If you can, quantify the so what with a figure.
Note: Don’t make one up. Only add one if possible.
Step 3 – E | Edit It
If you can bump the figure upfront, do it.
Reduce the bullet down if it’s a bit long.
Then bold the really juicy bits!
Why?
There is a cognitive psychology phenomenon called the ‘Series Position Effect’.
Which states people tend to notice information at the beginning and end of a sequence, more than the information in the middle.
In the context of text scanning, the beginning of a bullet carries more weight because it’s where readers’ attention naturally lands first.
This effect has been documented in memory and learning research for decades. It was first described by psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus (Ebbinghaus, 1885–1913)
Also, shorter bullets generally work better than long winded bullets. As people’s attention span wanes after a long bullet.
Plus, bolding certain sections draws attention to exactly where you want it.
LET’S SEE SOME WORKED EXAMPLES
Worked Example 1
BEFORE
- Conducted information security risk assessments according to the organisation’s procedure.
AFTER
- Increased ‘Risk Methodology’ Maturity from 2 to 3. [By uplifting the way our information security risk assessments were performed]
Worked Example 2
BEFORE
- Improved internal patching, lifecycle planning, and monitoring processes for all network and critical infrastructure.
AFTER
- Hit 99.99% availability of critical systems for first time [Improved the stability of critical infrastructure by improving patching, lifecycle planning and monitoring]
Worked Example 3
BEFORE
- Provide subject matter expertise on cyber security risks, security mitigations and remediation.
AFTER
- 90% reduction in technology security findings in 6 months. [Reduced these security fundings by working with the business to find appropriate remediation solutions]
WHAT IF YOU DON’T HAVE ACHIEVEMENTS!?
I have had clients say to me “I don’t have any achievements…..”. 🤷🏻♀️
That’s rubbish.
Everyone has achievements.
You just need to be on the look-out for them.
If you don’t feel like you can measure the impact, that’s ok. Sometimes it’s intangible.
Here’s some intangible examples for highlighting your impact:
E.g.
- Improved the value proposition of Tech [Rebuilt relationship with executive business stakeholders by aligning technology KPIs with business outcomes, e.g. NPS]
- Uplifted security awareness [Transformed X Dept from ‘unaware’ to ‘aware’ through effective security education]
- Enhanced Vendor Assessments [Slashed time to assess a vendor, whilst improving quality of assessment]
Here’s some further examples of performance-based achievements:
- Promoted based on high performance [Based on outperformance, after 1 year, promoted from Analyst to Senior Specialist
- Won ‘XYZ Award’ [Won an ‘Outstanding Achievement Award’ (Oct 2025) for my work on a 4-Rated Audit]
- Positive feedback from BU Head[Received a specific mention from my BU Head regarding how much their risk profile has improved under my management]
IN SUMMARY
If your CV is simply full of tasks you’ve performed, you definitely need to update it!
Here’s how to best highlight your achievements:
>>> Follow my SME framework.
S = So What, M = Measure, E = Edit
It will help you to *stand out* amongst other candidates + get more interviews. 💸
Cheers,
Emily
P.S. I have a 6-part guide to help your CV Stand Out (that covers the 6 biggest mistakes I see people making with their CVs). If you’re interested in seeing how you could improve in all 6 areas, checkout my Standout CV Guide.
Hey, I’m Emily Edgeley, a Public Speaking Coach for the Cybersec industry.
Since 2017 I’ve transformed the lives of thousands, by helping them to communicate with more power. I’ve run 300+ group coaching sessions, coached more than 250 people privately, and helped more than 100+ others give their first ever Conf talk.
I’m on a mission to help anyone in Cybersec communicate with more clarity, impact and confidence. To boost their brand, career and influence.
Group Coaching Programs | Private Coaching Options | Corporate Workshops
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