- Tony Vincent, Manager of Wellington’s CV Magic, describes the importance of the CV as a personal marketing tool.
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The Winning CV The job of the CV is to get you a foot in the door of the employer you wish to work for, or to remind an employer of an impression you made during a direct approach. It is a marketing tool and a selling instrument. “A CV does not win you the job, but it can attract an employer to you.”If you have seen your ideal job advertised in the newspaper you will need to rely on your trusty CV to get you an interview. The problem is that it will be sitting amongst 40-50 other documents on the employer’s desk. You have about 30-40 seconds to capture the imagination of the prospective employer (about the first one and a half pages) - therefore it needs to be highly effective. TESTIMONIAL “I got the CV's in the mail this afternoon and thought I would drop you a line to say thanks for your efforts and advice. I feel now that my skills are portrayed in a more specialised light and am sure that the document will give me a far better chance of getting that crucial initial interview. Notwithstanding the fact that we were not able to meet face to face, you were able to extract and express the skills I possess, succintly and professionally. I would have no hesitation in recommending your service to others.” An effective “winning CV” has the following characteristics: Future Oriented Many CVs are simply tombstones for dead jobs rather than documents that disclose the skills, knowledge and experience that are directly relevant to your prospective employer’s future expectations. We will identify the employer’s specific requirements and put these to the fore so that they see you fitting the role immediately. Your CV should be personalised to each prospective employment role. If you have focused your career search there will be very little rewriting (15 – 30%) for different roles you are applying for. Focused We will develop a profile that clearly states where you are going. An example of what I mean is detailed below. Which is the more effective, do you think? “I am seeking an analyst programmer position that offers the opportunity to develop as a speciality in object-oriented design.” “I am seeking an employer who will allow me to make the most of my skills. While my main focus is engineering, I am enthusiastic about other opportunities that may arise.” Behaviourally Based We will define your competencies in terms of observable behaviours in a technique employed by our consultant during your initial interview. We will replace bland catch phrases with an analysis of your key professional competencies that are observable. Which of the following do you think is the more effective? “Ten years of key account management within a highly competitive sales environment have honed my interpersonal skills.” “Good communication skills.” Incisive The first page will contain an “executive summary” of your key strengths and competencies that will attract the employer’s immediate attention. This will address the person specification in the advertisement or job description. We will also include an “achievements” summary that illustrates where you have successfully demonstrated use of these competencies. Professional Presentation This is characterised by no spelling errors, a well-organised layout, consistent fonts, a stylish appearance and lots of white space. It must catch the eye of the employer. The attractiveness of your CV will be enhanced by using good binding and lamination, and use of colour. |
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