Have you ever wondered why your CV is regarded as one of the most important factors in your search for a new position? Or why your colleagues' CVs seem to attract more attention from both recruiters and employers, when you know that you are just as suited for the position as they are? Perhaps you feel it is a waste of time spending hours trying to summarise your employment history, skills and qualifications?
The truth is that your CV is your passport to the next stage in your career. It is not only necessary to summarise your skills and qualifications, but it should also allow you to display your unique abilities and suitability for the position you are applying for.
Says Kerryn Hechter, IT Recruitment Consultant at RecruitGroup: “Recruitment consultants, as well as prospective future employers, will all agree that your CV is not only a selling tool or advertisement of yourself, but also your first opportunity to make it easier for the employer to hire you.” The bottom line is that if you don't want to miss out on that exciting new job, your CV has to represent the best of you, you can offer.”
Imagine there was a way to encode your CV so that it would ensure that employers would be interested in interviewing you right away. The first step to preparing a truly powerful CV is determining what the factors are that may detract from you skills and perhaps prevent the reader from wanting to go any further with you in the employment process. Here, it is vital to understand that your CV is not only necessary in order to gain those exclusive interviews, but is also a great confidence builder as you grow in your career, and therefore a vital document to growing and eventually obtaining all the things you have been dreaming of.
“There are several complex rules to constructing your CV, which can often change overtime, and can vary from position to position,” says Hechter. They are as follows:
It is always important to consider your CV as a 'sales tool', however, this should never allow for false information to be included. Never lie or over-exaggerate your skills. This will only come back to bite you at a later stage in your career.
A personal statement is also often very effective in selling your strengths and expressing your character without having to first meet the employer. Spend some time constructing a cover page that will allow for a favourable mental impression with the employer.
Try not to forget about listing your 'softer skills' such as interpersonal and communication skills that relate to all jobs. These skills are often transferable between various positions and allow for assistance in achieving a desirable response from the employer.
Says Hechter: “Personal details, employment history, and education are all regarded as 'must have' details in your CV. However, smaller factors are often missed and the responses to these by employers are often not realised by the applicant.”
It is important to remember that you are selling your skills, not an art work. Try avoiding too many colours and pictures, extravagant texts, and long withdrawn paragraphs. Bullet points are often easier to read, explain your skills quicker and keep it simple and to the point.
Another important factor is the wording you choose to use in your CV. Your terms and phrases should always sound professional and complete. Try not to use vague expressions or excessive detail in the context of your CV. This will only annoy or bore the reader to the point that they no longer want to continue reading the document.
Lastly, it is important to understand that having various versions of your CV can be very helpful when applying for a new position. A well constructed CV should never be one-dimensional and you should never take a 'single version fits all' approach. The best way to sell yourself effectively is to highlight the skills and knowledge that you have and how they match that exact position that you are applying for at that time.
The words “Curriculum Vitae” translated mean “the story of life”. In your CV rest your hopes, your dreams, climbing that corporate ladder, money, and new challenges. In order not to miss out on that awesome opportunity, your CV should always represent you best. It is one of the most professional documents that your future employer will be reading about you, so you best spend as much time and effort in constructing it.
Says Hechter: “My tip to keep in mind is that you are trying to create a lasting impression with the person reading your CV. This person is often looking for something very different than the last person who read it. A well constructed CV is a document that is constantly being updated and re-positioned throughout your career. Believe me, the time spent on your CV will pay off each and every time to get you that 'dream job'.”
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