CV tip 80-89
Tip 80
Never lose sight of the fact that your CV needs to be of relevance to the employer, this applies in all areas of your CV including your work experience section.
Tip 81
If your content comes across as a bit too complicated then consider why. For many people the problem lies in the way they have written it. There are pretty much infinite ways of saying anything, so if your content is a bit too complicated the first port of call is to try to rephrase things. If you try that and don’t see an immediate improvement, then you could consider getting professional help. You would be by no means the first to do so. Not everyone is a natural writer, and it isn’t easy to write clearly, powerfully and eloquently on paper. Moreover, you would be surprised at just how many HR executives for example engage professional CV writers to write their CV. Indeed, jobseekers at all levels and in all sectors hire professional CV consultants to give them the edge over their competitors. If you hire a top quality CV consultant it can frequently turn out to be a very good investment. Of
course, the old adage ‘you get what you pay for‘ applies so expect to spend £100-200+. It may sound like a lot, but a top quality CV can pay for itself time and time again (although the same doesn’t apply with an average or even a good CV) .
Tip 82
Another reason why some people end up with long and complicated work experience sections is because they are under the false impression that they need to separate out and include each and every job role that they had ever done on their CV. This just isn’t the case.
On the contrary, it is a complete myth. Yes, you may get the odd lesser recruiter quoting the myth – if so just remember that the recruiter is just the middleman, and it is the employer who is the real decision maker.
Tip 83
Fortunately, not all recruiters are stuck in the dark ages, and some do understand CVs more than others. So if you are being badly advised by a particular recruiter, one thing you could consider is simply use a different one. Another good alternative is to apply direct to employers’ advertisements, or via job boards. If you do this you have the added advantage of being able to tweak your CV to the job.
Tip 84
Part of tweaking your CV with the employer in mind includes weaving relevant things and achievements in to your CV. If you do this, then just like keywords, remember to do it naturally, rather than artificially.
Tip 85
The next section on a CV is typically the qualifications section. A particularly useful tip here is that regardless of what certain lesser recruiters will tell you, you are under no obligation to list each and every course or qualification.
Tip 86
Similarly, you are under no obligation to list every grade. Again, think about relevancy, and think about what the employer wants to hear.
Tip 87
Another tip is to include professional training if appropriate. Please note the term ‘if appropriate.’ There is no value in listing all your software programming skills if you are applying for a job as a sous chef .
Tip 88
This leads on to another relevant issue. Try to keep your CV as jargon free as possible. Many HR executives do not appreciate jargon.
Tip 89
Similarly try to avoid overuse of acronyms, and in particularly less familiar acronyms.
Paul , top UK CV specialist, head of leading firm CV Succeed, and author of the most pioneering CV book in decades, The One Page CV (published by top career sector publishers Pearson Education).
