CAREER PURSUIT 2021

19 EXPERT ADVICE - EMPLOYMENT CV WRITING: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW he format of CVs has changed over the years, with various sections coming and going. Gone are the days of sending out a generic ‘vanilla’ CV with a scattergun approach and seeing what happens. You need to make sure that you tailor your CV to each position you are applying for. I cannot stress this enough. I have many different versions of my CV, each one tailored to a specific job and/or company. The best way to do this is to start with a ‘Master CV’. You won’t ever send this one out, but it acts as a guide for you to crib from for each job you apply for. Go through the job advert, noting the essential and desirable attributes that are required. Make sure that you have these in your CV – if they’re true, of course! Then, work through these top tips to make sure your CV is in good shape. PERSONAL PROFILE – MAKE SURE IT IS ALL ABOUT YOU! “My husband is an officer in the Army…” I have seen this a lot in the Personal Profile section of CVs − often being the first sentence. I understand that many military spouses can sense a loss of identity, BUT… your time has come! This is all about YOU now! What your spouse does is entirely irrelevant. This section is where you need to show potential employers why they should be looking at YOU! MIND THE GAP If you have a gap in your CV, do not worry! If it’s unavoidable, you can refer to it in your Personal Profile. For example, “After a career break to raise a family, I am now keen to return to the workplace.” It is possible to gloss over smaller gaps by grouping similar job roles together. For example, “Between March 2017 and September 2020, I worked in various HR Administration roles.” Then, as these roles are similar, you can refer to your roles and responsibilities in a paragraph. I have done this myself where I have had small gaps between temporary, short-term roles, and it has worked well. It saves on valuable space by not repeating yourself too. BE CLEAR ON DATES I’ve seen CVs with just years written for the date range of each job. That’s not very indicative of your actual time spent in the position. For example, if you worked for Company X from 2018 to 2019. That could be from December 2018 until January 2019 – up to two months. Or, it could be from January 2018 to December 2019 – almost two years. That’s quite a difference! TASK-BASED VS ACHIEVEMENT-BASED When detailing previous experience, try to include examples of results-based achievements rather than just task-based responsibilities. For example, “management of a budget of £x” sounds better than “budget management”. Also, “slashed payroll/benefits administration costs by 30% by negotiating pricing while ensuring the continuation of services” sounds better than “negotiated contracts with vendors”. Don’t worry if you're not able to do that – it’s not always easy to quantify. CHECK YOUR ONLINE PRESENCE According to a survey carried out by CareerBuilder in 2018, 70% of employers check out candidates’ social media profiles before interviewing and hiring. The same survey also identified that 43% of employers monitor their employees through social media. This is backed up by YouGov who stated in 2017 that 36% of UK employers reject candidates based on their social media profiles. Needless to say, writing your CV isn’t just about what you include in the physical résumé. It should also prompt you to check your social profiles and online presence. Especially if you refer to your social profiles on your CV. When did you last Google yourself? I’ve just done it. On the first page, I get my LinkedIn profile and then my social media and various fundraising that I’ve done. There’s also a review that I left for a sports massage I had a couple of years ago and a book that I have added to my ‘To Read List’ on Good Reads. It’s surprising what comes up. You need to make sure that the persona you describe in your CV doesn’t By Naomi Spratt There’s no getting away from the fact that you need an awesome CV in order to get yourself noticed by potential employers. Naomi Spratt from Rise VA Services draws on her extensive experience working in human resources to advise how to craft a compelling CV. T