The Best Kept Secrets in CV Writing

Myth 7 – You should only have one CV

You can make up different CVs for different vertical markets (i.e. mechanical engineering, electrical, aviation etc.) If you do this however, you must take care not to ignore the job description if you are applying for a specific post and take care which CV you post on the job boards as you can pigeonhole yourself by being too narrow. This is a personal choice.

Myth 8 – There are no words that should be off limits

There are plenty of “dog words/phrases”.

For example, the word ‘competent’ suggests adequate and the client is likely to be looking for more than that. Substitute it for ‘experienced’.

It can be dangerous to put an ‘objective’ in your CV. True, it can illustrate your focus and if you are prepared to amend it every time you send a CV out, then it is worth considering. Most candidates, however, are not always that diligent and employers receive applications for a ‘Logistics Manager’ with the objective at the top of the CV reading “looking for a Security Manager”.

Avoid putting everything in your CV in capital letters - use capitals properly. It can be interpreted as improper use of grammar otherwise. Also take care which font you use as some fonts can be difficult to read or look unprofessional.

“Works well on own or part of a team” – avoid like the plague. If you want to illustrate both sides then show it in your CV through your responsibilities and achievements.

Myth 9 – There’s no value in behavioural assessments

We built assessments into our interview process because they were so successful. The accuracy and insight you get helps you to understand yourself on a whole new level.

Myth 10 – There is no “magic sauce”

Wrong. See my article on the best kept secret in CV writing.

Your CV is a selling tool and its job is to get you an interview.

In your “Professional Experience” section, list your key responsibilities – WHAT and WHOM you have been responsible for. 

Your “Key Achievements” within each role should come next. These should lead on from your “Key Responsibilities”. For example, if you are an NVQ Assessor your key responsibility will be to assess troops in a particular skill and your key achievement (i.e. THE DIFFERENCE YOU HAVE MADE TO YOUR EMPLOYER) is your pass rate. Key achievements save your employer time or money – they show what difference you have made as a member of staff. If, in this case, an employer is looking for an NVQ Assessor in Security and Loss Prevention and wants someone with A1 and a 70% pass rate and you have A1 and a 95% pass rate is the employer more likely to want to see you. To round this off perfectly your CV should mirror what the job description is looking for but not “Mickey mouse” it – i.e. word for word. 

SHOW THEM WHAT DIFFERENCE YOU COULD MAKE TO THEM – SAVE THEM TIME OR MONEY.

There are 4 reasons someone will want to take you on: 

1. Save your employer time

2. Save your employer money

3. Make your employer money

4. Lead a team to do one or more of the above

If you read through your key achievements and you can say “So what” after a point then it’s not an achievement – do this exercise and keep saying “so what” until you understand the benefit.

We like people who listen to us, to understand our needs, to make us feel important, to match our needs to an offering of real value to us. We confirm this is correct and we buy. It’s as simple as that.