Application groundwork completed, it's time to move on and craft a killer CV. Let's dive straight in.
"The writer who breeds more words than he needs, is making a chore for the reader who reads." Dr. Seuss
"Never use a long word where a short one will do. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out." George Orwell
What needs to be said? Put yourself in the shoes of your future employer, don't include irrelevant information and limit yourself to 2 sides of A4. It can be done, I promise you. If you're smart about what you write and how you present the information.
A short punchy paragraph to hook the reader at first glance, concise information that you know from your research will be perceived as a selling point. It should be carefully crafted to showcase your most relevant skills and experience. It's good to highlight how long you've spent developing those abilities, including relevant key words. If you've recently completed a project or activity that's directly relevant you can mention it briefly here.
Create the CV frame, a list of your job titles, with dates and employers. Start with the most recent and work back in time. When you have your timeline you can begin adding in content for each role. A functional / skills based CV is another style worth considering if you're making a complete career transition or have something outside of your work history which is far more relevant to the job. This allows you to front load page one with skills, project details, competencies etc. However, typically speaking the chronological style is still generally preferred. If you're not sure what to do for the best in your situation, you're welcome to give me a call.
This should be a short paragraph at the end of your CV that rounds everything off. It's an opportunity for you to showcase what you do outside of your day job that's relevant or likely to be of interest to your employer. It's also where you can show a little of your personality but make sure whatever you write here will leave a positive impression on the reader.
Don't build a boat out of sugar cubes, even if it works in the short term. In the long term you'll sink. There's no excuse for lies or misrepresentation.
It's best to keep things simple, anything too fancy will detract from what's most important. Unless you're applying for a role in a creative industry then there's no need to use graphics or colour. There's also no need to include a photo unless requested as part of the application process; for an acting or presenting role for example.
I hope that's been helpful, best of luck putting it all together and use your killer CV wisely.
It's the key to the door of your choosing.
If you have questions, feedback or would like to work together please don't hesitate to get in touch.
Good luck with your job search!
If you'd like to find out about 1-to-1 career change & development programmes, or coaching for your team/organisation get in touch bev@aumida.com or click here to book a call.
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