Thematic area 3: develop yourself for your Career Path
CV writing tips and advice
The Best CV Strategy
If you want the best CV, you will need to get organised. To create a winning CV, you will
have to change your writing style. Sarah Berry, best selling author of Write a Perfect CV
in a Weekend has this advice to offer you: If you are still in any doubt about your CV get it
reviewed. Let’s take a closer look at CVs.
You have probably heard it all before and you may even think that your current CV is
pretty good anyway. It has done the job in the past and you have always managed to get
interviews. However, whether you are new to the job market or working your way up the
career ladder, you may feel that you should be earning more money, have more perks or be
snapped up more quickly. Job selection is always down to how you sell yourself on paper.
Have you got the sales tactics right for the level of job you are going for? Have you rewritten
your CV or just revamped it? Have you equipped yourself with the winning CV approach?
So, it’s not the glaring problems that sink most CVs but the easy-to-overlook goofs. They
may not seem like much to worry about, but when you think that most personnel managers
get hundreds of applications for one job, it’s obvious that a good CV can make the ultimate
difference. Some candidates spend more time planning an interview outfit than writing their
new CV. Yet without the right approach and an excellent CV and sales tactics, you won’t
need that new outfit anyway! Sad but true.
So, what are the most common CV mistakes? Listed below are the most common pitfalls;
if you are still in any doubt about your CV, why not opt for a professional CV Assessment
from Career Consultants? If you can avoid the glaring goofs, your CV will stand out for all
the right reasons.
Not tailoring the CV. Ten years ago it was alright to have a one-size-fits-all approach to
your CV, but with today’s more competitive job market, what’s needed is a ‘couture’ CV that
you can update and alter to highlight the ways you can benefit each particular company.
A standard CV says, ‘I need a job, help me’; a couture CV and covering letter says, ‘I love
your company, you have a problem and I am the one to solve it’. With time and effort spent
on selecting your capabilities and by focusing on the company and not yourself, you will
convey your sales message.
Not answering the questions posed by the ad. It is too easy to skip the questions because
you are in a rush or you want to see if you can get away with not doing it. However, waiting
until you get to the interview to show them how good you are is a risky tactic. Read through