24 May2014
Does my CV do the trick?
Searching for a job, particularly online, can be very frustrating. With Jobs Boards requesting every bit of data, including the uploading of your CV, can be time consuming and disappointing. By the time you’ve entered your details into a dozen or more Jobs Boards, the chances are that you’ve joined the same company operating Jobs Boards under different names several times without realising it. Registering is just the tip of the iceberg. You are bombarded by calls and emails about potential jobs that have no resemblance to your initial requirements. I don’t have any constructive advice, other than to make sure that the content of your CV contains the very key information about you, that might be important to a future company or employer. Do yourself a favour and avoid words like, passion/passionate and phrases like; works well in a team and on their own. A professional summary should really talk about your mantra. Who are you? Be careful not to let words runaway with themselves, as brevity is key to getting attention. Most hiring managers and recruiters, read a CV for 6 seconds at first sight. They will reject you if they don’t see relevance. It’s a bit like google. They pride themselves on giving search results that are most relevant to the search enquiry. A future employer will work in the same way. How relevant is your CV, compared to the job opening? If you are applying for something slightly outside of your background experience, why not consider what the employer is looking for and adjust your CV to show relevance. You can’t lie, as you’ll be found out – sooner or later. What information should I include in my CV? Personally, I would give your Name, Address (location, not postal address) some contact data; personal email, mobile and/or landline. Date of birth is not a requirement, nor your marital status or number of children. If you use your personal email on a CV, use a different email for social media. Most recruiters and companies will search your email with facebook or other social platforms to get the background information about you, well in advance of moving forward. To safeguard this, simply use another email address. When using social media, be very careful not to show yourself in a less than attractive situation. Companies may check out your drinking habits and other private matters and this could ruin your chances of an interview. What if there are gaps in the CV? Explain them. Don’t move dates to show continual employment. Most people will have some voids during their employment history. Explain them. Companies would sooner employ someone honest, than someone who looks as though they have a perfect CV with end to end leaving and start dates. Don’t include a reason for leaving. It is what it is. You were employed, then you left. Let them ask you at interview, if they wish. Company and Title or Title and Company? This one is not always the same. If you have a long career in a particular sector and you are applying for a job within the same sector – I’d go for Company first and underneath, Title. On the same line as your job title, I’d put the employment period. Highlight or make the job title bold. i.e – Uncle John Cobley & Sons, Newcastle Operations Manager – Jan 2000 – July 2001 What should I say about the job I held? Personally, I like bullet points. They are concise and quick to digest. Be clear about the salient points that you feel will be attractive to another employer. My CV is five pages long Get it down to two pages. Three at the very most. I don’t care if you’ve had a thousand jobs, just get it down to two pages. References Don’t write any names of references on a CV. Document file name i.e CVjan2014.doc Remember to save your CV with just your name and no reference to any dates. Keep it simple: JoeBloggs-CV.doc or pdf etc. Photograph on a CV? This one has been widely debated. Personally, NO. You can search for reasons why you should or shouldn’t add a photo to your CV and make your own decision. Page formatting Make sure that your CV will print the same as it looks on screen. —– Good luck.
Tags: CV writing, CV's, face fit, face-fit.com, Headhunter, housebuilding headhunter, housebuilding recruitment, housebuilding.careers, How to write a CV, jobs in housebuilding, jobs in new homes, newhomesjobs.co.uk, property recruitment, simon wilkins, simon wilkins the headhunter
Trackback from your site.
