Your CV is Your Personal Billboard - Craft a CV that Stands Out and Lands that Dream Interview!
Written by: Save to InstapaperEverything about you says something about you and your CV is your personal billboard that either attracts positive attention or is glossed over during the recruitment process; a two page CV sums up 20 odd years of life experience and qualifications – so every word must count. That’s the opinion of Isilumko Activate Director, Brendan Powell who adds that employers screen hundreds of potential employees every week and in recruitment, candidates are rightly or wrongly, pre-judged before they even walk through the door, on what their CV says about them.
“Writing your CV is an act of self-definition: it represents who you are in a personal and work context and/or who you want to become. CV development is by no means a simple process and it’s primarily a business marketing document where a candidate tells and sells their story to potential future employers. It therefore needs to be professional and positive in tone, content and presentation and a 100% truthful representation of the facts,” says Powell.
“While it’s increasingly apparent that students fresh out of university have all been instructed in CV development. The problem lies in the fact that in many cases a generic approach to developing their resume is being suggested. The challenge is that template CVs all start to look the same. With a very similar feel, tone and language to them, very few actually stand out,” says Powell.
“When responding to an advertised job opening, your CV precedes you. An employers’ first impression of a candidate is based solely on what he or she sees on paper and with thousands of potential candidates often competing for the same position, employers can afford to be picky when they hire. In a country like South Africa where the jobless rate increased to 25.5% in the third quarter of 2015, it’s never been more important to make a good impression with a strong CV. Candidates must learn to market themselves effectively,” says Powell.
Being conscious of what is and isn’t included in a CV and how much attention is given to particular points is another indicator of good or poor CV. People reveal an enormous amount about themselves in their CV – often more than they realise – simply with their choice of words which together form a picture of the applicant. When activities were not enjoyed language changes from bold and high energy to flat and functional. “Confidence is also easily detected in a CV and it’s very common for a candidate's subconscious worries to find expression on their CV. This can be seen in over justification of particular facts or drawing unnecessary attention to areas in their CV where they feel sensitive or disadvantaged rather than downplaying or omitting them altogether.”
While there is a clear expectation around what should and shouldn’t appear in a resume, there is room for candidates to craft a record of qualification and experience that is unique and is a reflection of their character. Powell believes a simple introductory paragraph about the applicant – written in the third person – makes for a refreshing read. Of course the basics need to be there too. Spelling and grammar need to be impeccable and a degree of professionalism needs to carry through the entire document in terms of arrangement.
“When reviewing a CV, employers are looking for personality. They want to get a glimpse of who the candidate is and what their skillset entails. Companies hire people, so what makes a prospective employee really stand out is their humanity. Don’t just present a good CV, focus on presenting a great candidate. Give employers insight into who you are. Share your hobbies and interests with them. Showcase the contributions you’ve made to your community and society. Most importantly, tell the employer how they can benefit from your experiences and skillset,” says Powell. “Too many job candidates speak about themselves and how they’re going to benefit from working for the hiring company – or why they want the job; few will share with the company what benefits they can receive if they are employed.”
A CV should also be adapted to the position being applied for – one size doesn’t fit all. When applying for a position to work in a community upliftment position for example, a CV needs to have a strong personal summary that demonstrates commitment to the cause.
“Applicants must show they have an understanding of the organisation and work they are applying for and have understood the job description, clearly outlining how their skills and experience match the requirements. Tailoring for each application is fundamental to good CV development! Career confusion shows up loud and clear on a CV. Embellish only the relevant aspects to the job you are applying for and just keep the rest of the experience listed. It may be a perfectly decent CV on its own terms, but if it's irrelevant to the role being applied for, then the employer will assume the candidate has understood the job. Sometimes candidates think that if they write a broad CV, which includes everything, it will open more doors. Not so. The opposite is true: if an employer sees a generic CV, they might be lead to believe you're hedging your bets; this makes you a risky recruitment decision.”
Powell adds that candidates must be careful to ensure their social media platforms correlate with what they are saying in their CV. Employers and recruiters do check simply because it’s a powerful tool and so accessible to do so.
“Social media is a key component in the employee vetting and is part of a comprehensive “interview” process. Sites like Facebook and Twitter allow employers to see who you are outside the confines of a resume, covering letter or interview. If employers see a quiet, shy and nervous candidate in an interview, but see you in different light on social media, this can create confusion. If in your CV you say that you love the outdoors, but there isn’t one picture on Facebook of you in the outdoors for the last three years, then the credibility of what you’re saying in your CV could become questionable,” says Powell. “Be encouraged to allow social media to give employers sight of what makes you who you are, but ensure that the messages connect with how you want to be perceived. The absence of a presence is just as concerning so be sure to capitalise on crafting your social media presence as an extension of your CV.”
LinkedIn increases visibility and Powell says this more business focused social media platform should be used to promote a candidate’s availability in the job market. A CV can be put up on this forum as a proactive step towards generating more personal exposure.
Things to consider when creating your CV according to Powell:
- Try and keep the entire CV to two pages- Keep it simple and clear and avoid jargon and acronyms and technical terms unless necessary- List your social media links – this shows you have nothing to hide- Don’t put down every single detail of what you have done in your history- Don’t put down work experience that is not relevant to the role being applied for- Concentrate on demonstrating that the skills the employer needs in the candidate – have two CVs: a master CV with all information and a tailored CV, prepared for a specific position or opportunity- Don’t dilute the important information and put the important information upfront. (Put experience and education achievements in reverse chronological order.)- Never submit a CV with grammar and spelling errors and use powerful positive words like: ‘launched’, ‘managed’, ‘co-ordinated’, ‘motivated’, ‘supervised’ and ‘achieved’- Make it a 100% honest accurate reflection of who you are - it must portray you in your truest light – it takes just 10 minutes for prospective employers to run a full background check- Put your name and email address on every page - in case the pages of your CV get separated- Don’t use crazy fonts and colours and make sure it’s well formatted and laid out with easy to read information (a clear ID number is important) and never submit a hand-written CV- Don’t put party photos on your CV, a well taken photo is a must to include
“The way you present your CV will have an overwhelming influence over whether your CV is even read, let alone get you that all important interview so make your CV is noticed for all the right reasons,” concludes Powell.
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