The world of job hunting has changed a lot in the last two decades. It was only recently that job hunting sites came into their own and now at a touch of a button we can flood the job hunting market place with our glorious CVs.
The problem with this however is that we are now becoming lazy and it is no longer about getting a job in THAT company but getting a job in ANY company and this is a huge reason why candidates then pull out at the last minute or leave after a year or two. There is no loyalty. There is no passion for the job.
As a Performance Coach I work with so many career professionals who come to me with the same question – “How Do I Find The Job That Is Right For Me?”
And the answer usually stems from the very beginning of their career journey – when they first hand out their CV.
Writing your CV can be an arduous task which takes a long time to perfect and yes, when you want to leave your current or past role it can be tempting to look at job hunting as a numbers game, believing the more people that see your CV means the more likely you are to get an interview. The issue with this is that when you spend over a third of your time at work you need to get it right. If your job is off balance it will affect the rest of your life.
As Lukas Vanterpool, Co-Director at The Sterling Choice, a recruiter within the Food, FMCG and Engineering industries says, “The days of posting your CV out to 50 local companies are long gone. People want to see someone with some initiative and desire”.
The other thing here is that if you only send out a sub-standard, generic CV to the masses your CV may not be good enough for the top jobs and instead you might only attract employers who are just looking for ‘anyone’ to fill a role.
Amy Weidner, Consultant at Carter Murray, highlighted that “Hiring Managers generally spend about 10 seconds on each CV”.
So, if you want to attract the right employer and bag the perfect job role for you then here are tips from the experts across all industries:
- Vanterpool recommends, “keeping it clear and to the point. Keep the detail in areas that is required and relevant to the role you are applying for. “
- He also added “Although a CV is important you should never underestimate the importance of showing how much you want the opportunity.”
- “Do your research and tailor it to the company and the role you’re applying for." A top tip from Aaron Hayward, an employment specialist at DJM Solicitors.
- “It’s important to have a balance, you need concise factual points but also enough information to paint a clear picture of your current job role and experience to date.” Says Weidner.
- She also highly recommends “having a key achievement sub heading in your current or most recent/relevant role because these instantly jump out and indicate positive language.”
These are just a handful to steer you in the right direction but you need to get clear on what you want. I spend hours working with my clients on my signature career programmes to help them find clarity on their goals, give them the tools and skills to write that dream CV, and overcome confidence issues to deliver the best of themselves in the interview.
My upcoming online challenge ‘10 Days To Boost Your Career’ starts on 14th November. Click Here to join us.
Now before you get carried away and start writing your CV heed advice from Hayward,
“Your CV is your chance to shine, and if you’re applying for a job you really want, you want to sound like the ideal candidate.
However, there is a difference between promoting your achievements and simply lying, which could land you in hot water should you eventually get the job….Even if the incorrect statement on your CV is something trivial, and not related to the job, it could cost your position as it calls your integrity into question.”
So with all that in mind. Happy CV writing.