If you were to ask people some of the things they dread doing, writing their CV would probably be on top of most people's lists. The following checklist of ten points aims to help you through the process and changing it from being potentially painful to a fun time of exploration and creation. Enjoy!
1. What's the purpose of a CV?
Contrary to what many people think, my CV will not get me a job, but if I do it well, it will get me an interview, which can eventually lead to the job!
2. What job am I applying for?
Tailor my CV for every job I apply for. There are certain skills and experience that are relevant for one job that may not be for another one.
3. What do I want my CV to say about me?
What's the feel and impact I am after? What would make the CV personal and represent me and who I am? Apart from the content, is there something in the layout, content or formatting that I could do to help my CV stand out from the pile?
4. What do I have to offer?
First, go over the job description and person specification of the job you are applying for. Then brainstorm all the skills and experience that I have for each point. When and where did I acquire this experience? Let this be the starting point of my CV writing. Also, focus on my results and accomplishments, not only my job descriptions and responsibilities.
5. What quantifiable results have I achieved?
Quantify my accomplishments - the more specific I can get the better picture my potential future employer will have of my experience and the value I could add them. Instead of saying: "Developed training materials for multinational corporations", be more specific:
"Researched and developed cross-cultural training materials for seven FTSE 200 companies."
6. What is relevant?
Don't get carried away. The employer will be interested in the skills and experience that pertains to the specific job plus anything else that I have done that makes me interesting and unique. I do not need to put in everything and I should look at de-emphasizing any work that I would not like to do in the future.
7. What will keep the employer interested?
Make sure the language I use is active and personal. Instead of: "Put together monthly reports", use words such as developed, compiled (plus how many reports a month!)
8. What's my style?
Decide on one formatting and layout style and keep it consistent throughout the CV. This shows my attention to detail -if I do not show it on a paper I spend a lot of time on, can the employer expect me to spend it on the work I will be doing under pressure?
9. What if they lose part of it?
Remember this is very possible. So put my name and number on the footer of each page. Sometimes pages get separated and there might be information on page two, which makes me an interesting candidate, but they might not have my contact information.
10. What will make me proud to send it off?
This is my calling card - what do I need to do to make me really be happy about the work I am sending off?
Leave a comment below: What are your core three skills and achievements that you can put at the forefront of your CV, that will help you move into your new career?
Authors: Holly Crane and Satu Kreula
With over 10 years of combined experience in supporting people from all walks of life figure out and make a living from their passions, professional career coaches and facilitators Holly Crane and Satu Kreula bring you this one-of-a-kind workshop bringing together the best of what they’ve learned in the field. They both believe that you can make a living and a difference - and it’s their passion to help you find what your contribution is! Website:www.escape-club.org email: coach@escape-club.org
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