I know that sounds brutal, but more often than not – it’s true.
In the drinks industry, roles attract a huge amount of attention. Companies open a vacancy and watch applications stack up fast. When that happens, they’re not reading CVs in the way candidates imagine they are. They’re scanning. Quickly. Looking for reasons to stop and pay attention.
Most CVs don’t fail because the person isn’t good enough. They fail because they don’t make it easy for hiring managers to see why they should keep reading.
A lot of CVs I see are essentially a job description written backwards. Long summaries at the top that sound polished but don’t really say anything. Lists of responsibilities with no context or outcome. Pages of “what I was asked to do”, very little of “what I actually delivered”.
I want to understand, very quickly, what you do, the level you operate at, and the difference you’ve made. I’m far more interested in achievements than duties. Show me what changed because you were there. If there are facts and figures, even better. Commercial results, growth, efficiencies, launches, projects, problems solved. That tells me far more than a beautifully worded paragraph ever will.
And this isn’t just for sales or commercial roles. Even in operations, marketing, HR, visitor experience, or production, impact still exists. Improved a process. Increased engagement. Streamlined something. Built something new. Fixed something that wasn’t working. That’s what helps me picture you in the role.
Layout matters too, probably more than people like to admit. If I can’t see the good stuff quickly, I may never see it at all. I shouldn’t have to hunt on page two for the most impressive part of your career.
Page 1 should make me want to keep reading. Clear structure, white space, and a strong opening that tells me who you are professionally all help your CV do its job.
One thing I see a lot in drinks CVs is passion. And that’s great. But it’s also assumed. Everyone applying cares about the industry. Passion doesn’t make you stand out, but clarity does.
Your CV is not your life story. It’s not there to prove you can do the job. It’s there to make me want to speak to you.
So if your CV is being ignored rather than rejected, try not to take it personally. It’s usually not about your experience or your potential. It’s about how clearly you’re communicating it.
And that’s fixable.
Visibility always comes before validation.
