Your CV is not just a comprehensive history of your entire work life. Rather, it is a marketing tool and YOU are the product. It paints an image, of you for the recruiting manager, and knowing how to convey the right image can make all the difference. Winning interviews begin with learning how to control and elevate your image through your CV. Every job title, every phrase and every verb you use on your CV causes a potential employer to pause and make assumptions about you that either detract from, or add to, your image. Highlighting your strengths on your CV sets your image with recruiting professionals even before you walk through the door. That's why a strong CV is so important because a strong image not only gets you an interview; it sets the tone for the entire interview and defines how much you get paid.
Emphasizing hard-hitting accomplishments throughout your CV can elevate your image and effectively differentiate you from other equally qualified candidates. Since past behaviour is often a good predictor of future behaviour, concrete, measurable achievements demonstrate your track record and in essence, your potential to meet the needs employers in an effective and definable way.
Your CV also forms the initial opinion a potential employer has of your growth and promotion potential on the job. Beyond the initial position you are applying for, most employers want to be assured that you can take on additional responsibility. A weak CV causes employers to have a narrow view of your image and promotion or growth potential. Therefore, when designing your CV, it is imperative to keep in mind the image that you want to project to the reader.
HOW TO BUILD THE RIGHT IMAGE
Create the CV That Will Be Strongest for You: In today’s competitive job market, you need a stellar CV to distinguish you as a highly qualified candidate, and selecting the right format for your situation is critical. There are basically three main types of CV: chronological, functional (skill-based) and combination.
The chronological CV is the more traditional structure and clearly demonstrates a candidate’s work history and professional growth. They are excellent for job seekers that are well experienced with a stable work history with two to four companies, and are applying for a similar or more advanced position within the same field.
Alternatively, the functional or skill-based CV emphasizes your major skills, capabilities and accomplishments and de-emphasizes your job titles, employers, and dates of employment. This approach is best if your work history is relatively short or you’ve only had one job; it is also the appropriate choice if you are switching careers.
The combination CV utilizes the best of both the chronological and functional formats. It lists your skills, work experience and accomplishments by skill areas and prominently displays job titles, employers and exact dates of employment. In addition, you are able to focus your skills on the job requirements more effectively.
Use Job Titles and Headings That Enhance Your Image: The job titles and headings you use in your CV can have a huge impact on the image that you project to a potential employer. If a job title weakens your image it is very important that you replace it with a stronger title that best enhances your image and matches the job you want. For example, Customer Care Specialist sounds stronger than Customer Service Representative.
Use Action-Oriented Words and Phrases throughout Your CV: Your CV is your marketing tool. It is the ultimate sales letter. Whether it is your dynamic leadership skills, your ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds or your creative talents, you need to use the right language to convey your full credentials. Avoid words such as “responsible for …” or phrases like “responsible for generating”. Use plenty of action words like “Implemented”, “Led” or “Generated”.
Use Specific Accomplishments to Highlight Your Value: Take a good look at your achievements and skills. Many people are too modest about their talents – don’t be! In today’s competitive job market, recruiting managers prefer “results-oriented” workers and when they receive your CV, they will be looking for tangible evidence of results and successes rather than boring descriptions of day-to-day duties and responsibilities.
Proofread Your CV To Eliminate Mistakes, Typos And Grammatical Errors: Your CV is way too critical to your job search success to take any chances. Once you have a working copy of your CV, if you are not totally comfortable with the wording or grammar, or get stuck trying to communicate anything, get a professional to polish, edit or proofread the finished product. When considering that under-selling your skills and abilities can cost you that dream job, and can also cost hundreds of thousands of pounds over the course of your career — no other document may prove more critical to your ultimate success.
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