Your CV is an employer's first impression of you and it must present you in the best possible light, leave a favorable and lasting impact.
Why a Winning CV is Essential ?
A CV or Resume is often all a recruiter or prospective employer has to judge you on, so creating a professional first impression is absolutely vital. An effective resume will capture the reader's interest within the first few seconds. Most hiring managers decide whether to interview or reject a candidate within 30 seconds of reading their resume. It has to stand out from the rest to get a better response. You may have all the qualifications and the required professional experience but you need to convey this to your recruiter.
While drafting the CV the following objectives needs to be focused:
Attract the recruiter to read the CV the moment your application is received & before other applicants.
Convey that you possess more skills than just what is described in the text of your CV.
Smoothly guide the recruiter to the relevant areas of your history.
Instantly give the recruiter a positive feel about you.
Ultimately, get you an interview for your perfect job.
Tips for an ideal CV Structure :
Target Job Title
:
Here is where you define who you are in relation to skills and experience. This is a critical part of your CV as it is the first section a potential employer reads and it should portray you in the most relevant and professional light.
Career Objective
:
Your Career Objective is a brief and focused statement of what you can do and what you are looking for. As your Career Objective is featured prominently on your CV, employers will look here first before proceeding onto the rest of your CV.
Work Experience
:
List your employment history in reverse order, starting with the most recent first. Avoid leaving any gaps, if any, and explain if you've had time out for some reason. Highlight your skills and assigned responsibilities in each of the previous job. List your achievements. Talk about results - what difference did your presence make? Use numbers for achievements wherever possible. Use the past tense for previous jobs and the present tense for your current job.
Education
:
List your academic background; degrees, certifications and trainings received.
Skills
:
Use this section to show a potential employer your overall work-related skills and abilities including languages and technical skills. Please note that your skills are one of the KEY search criteria in Employer searches so make sure you include all technical, analytical, professional and other skills.
Memberships
:
List any professional affiliations, associations or memberships of interest to employers.
References
:
Listing references is optional but it is always a good idea to include them. List the name and contact information of references.
Other tips:
Keep it short and clear
:
The sad truth is that most people will spend just moments glancing over your CV, so be ruthless about what you include. Ideal CV should comprise of 2 to 3 pages, unless required or asked.
Make it look good
:
Clear, attractive presentation is also important if your CV is to stand out. Ensure that it's uncluttered, with key points easy to spot. Use bullet points and keep the sentences relatively short. Plenty of 'white space' around the borders and between each section keeps the document easier on the eye.
Breath some life into it
:
Remember the employer wants a sense of the kind of person you are, as well as what you can do. Are you punctual, conscientious, or motivated? Do you rise to a challenge? With each point you write, ask yourself "What does this say about me?"
Be accurate
:
Always check for errors. Run a spelling and grammar check and ask someone else to read it for you. The employer isn't going to believe you're a good communicator if your CV is full of mistakes.
Adapt it
:
You don't have to use the same CV every time. You can have two or three versions, each for a different kind of job. Or you can tailor your CV to suit the job you're applying for. It isn't a case of one size fits all.
Send a covering letter
:
Always send a covering letter, unless asked otherwise. This should highlight the two or three areas of experience from your CV that are most relevant to the advertised job. Never send your CV out on its own.
Be truthful
:
Although you obviously want to present yourself well, don't go too far and embellish the truth. It can easily backfire on you.
Use Action Verbs
:
Use action verbs throughout the CV to have a positive impact.
Seek feedback
:
Read your CV as a potential employer would, with a critical eye, then get someone else to do likewise.
If you need any assistance in making your CV you can avail our Professional Services. Pls feel free to write to us on contact@my-winningedge.com
