Have you ever taken the time to think how people came up with the idea of the CV? If you think about it, it is a great and effective way for employers to find the best options for their company and for people looking for employment to put their talent and skills “out there”.
I was recently looking for a new job since I moved countries and to do so, I had to write a new CV, filled with the latest updates in my professional development. As I was writing it realised a few points that help me improve in the way I presented myself to the companies I was applying to, and other aspects that came about more naturally when it came to communicating who I was, what I did and what I was looking for in a job.
I hope the following points are as useful to you as they were to me!
Interest at first sight
The CV is your presentation letter, it is the first thing the employer will see and take as a reference to who you are in the selection process. As we all know your CV is seen before they get to know you, so first impressions are extremely important at this point.
First of all your resume needs to be easy to read, I am not talking about language here, because you will usually use a more formal or professional language in order to present yourself, but I am actually referring to your design. The way you design your resume will definitely depend on the type of job you are applying for, but no matter what job this is, you need to make sure that your CV is easy to read at first sight, and make sure that your creativity doesn’t end up sabotaging your content.
The way your CV is designed also should reflect effort, it should show that you took enough time to see what would add to whatever it is that you want to say about yourself. It should also show organisation, it should be written in sections that help the employer identify what he or she wants to know easily.
What do they need to know?
This is a great question, and one that is commonly underestimated by many. People usually make the mistake of saying either too much about themselves or too little, but the most common mistake is that of saying too much.
Consider that the employer is on a busy schedule, and all they need to know is if you will be useful or not to their company. Focus on giving out relevant information, share enough so that they would know your contact details, your passion, your skills, your relevant employment history, and relevant education history. Remember that unless it is relevant to the position you are applying for it is not worth including in your CV.
Ask yourself the questions: Who am I? Why do I want this job? What can I bring to this job? and what do I want to learn from this job opportunity? Those questions will help you collect the information you need in order to present yourself in a relevant way.
Don’t write a book
Length is very important in a resume, and unlike some people believe, a more extensive description of yourself doesn’t always show that you have more experience or knowledge. Instead, it can give the impression to people that you find it hard to recognise what qualifies you for this job, therefore you choose to include everything you can think of.
Length doesn’t impress, quality does. Always think of what is relevant.
Don’t exaggerate
More people than you think actually exaggerate in their resumes, they have the belief that if only they impress the company and get the job, later they will have enough time to manage how to do the tasks they said they already knew how to perform.
The problem with this is first of all that you are being dishonest, and integrity is one of the main qualities people look for in their employees. Secondly, you never know what you are getting yourself into, and by being hones in who you are and what you can do, you can actually save yourself a lot of pain and embarrassment.
Your resume is meant to be an accurate and short description of yourself, that will help the employer find out what you can bring to the company and it will help them place you where you can grow the most.
So, if you are looking for a job, it might be time for you to revise your CV and make sure you make the most out of this presentation tool.
Was this useful to you? Is there anything else you should take into account when it comes to writing a CV? Let us know!
