How’s your 2015 going? For many the economy is improving and the stagnation and uncertainty we’ve all suffered in the last few years is starting to lift. Moving forward with your life is often directly linked to your career. This may be looking at progressing within your company, moving companies, changing your location of work or even more dramatic changes such as changing the industry in which you operate. You may be on the search for your dream job, or maybe just a “stepping stone” to get you out of university and onto the job market to enable you to work your way up.
Either way, your CV is the first thing that potential employers see, so it has to represent you in the best possible way. The average amount of time an employer spends initially looking at your CV is 10 seconds.
This means that your CV needs to be short and sweet. It should include everything that you feel is relevant in the format of a list; you do not need to tell a story for each individual achievement as if the employer is interested they will likely invite you for an interview to talk about them.
If you are lacking some skills, fill in the blanks by adapting the skills you do have to the particular situation. For example, if the job in question requires someone with sales experience there is no problem with you using any retail work you may have done. It will demonstrate the people & sales skills you do have and show how they are transferrable. Avoid any negative words/phrases that may make you seem indecisive or have an inability to do the job that you are applying to do.
One thing you must not do is lie on your CV as you will get found out one way or another. A great example of how this backfires is the “Job Interview” episodes of BBC1’s The Apprentice.
Formatting your CV in an easy to read layout will not only make it easier for recruiters to read, but it will also make more important things stand out which will help you to differentiate yourself from the crowd.
You want your CV to be error free to portray the best image possible. Due to the current economic climate and the amount of unemployed people there are; more and more CVs are being submitted for job applications. Employers then have to find ways to dismiss some of these CVs that are submitted. Despite the fact you may have the qualifications needed and all the experience you need, if you make errors on your CV then it is likely to be dismissed.
A handy tip is to continually keep your CV up to date. If you are approached for an interesting role, see and advertisement or have an internal opportunity then having a current CV gives you the opportunity to respond quickly. Writing a CV from scratch can be a laborious and time consuming task so regular “bite-sized” updates keep the document fresh as your career progresses.
#wynneconsulting
