Improve your CV

I know this is a touchy subject but believe me, we see so many boring CV's that do not sell the individual which means they do not get invited to an interview. Your CV is your sales document that gets you the interview, the first and critical stage of your new job hunt!

While you may actually be a really good fit for the role and organisations you apply to, the chances are that your CV does not give that perception. You only have a short amount of time, sometimes seconds, to give the impression that you are a great fit. Use the Job Advert or job description and write a checklist of what they are looking for and then set about telling them why you are such a great fit.

To maximise your appeal, focus on powerful “selling” points that cover your results, your impact on the organisation, your skills and your ability to manage and lead.
For example, if you are seeking a role that calls for leadership skills, ask yourself how many times you were a leader of a project, a subproject, a team, or even a meeting/event. It does not matter if you were never formally appointed a leader or given a leadership title. If you have successfully led others, you should reference leadership as one of your attributes.

Everyone wants employees who produce results, so you need to find a way to list every significant result, output, or accomplishment. Your CV should include performance related references. (Example: Achieved 100% of ___ rollout project milestones while being first to implement ___ within the division.)

Quantify results in GBP — the language of businesses is Pounds, so characterising the pound impact of your accomplishments on the organisation can be a key differentiator.

Skills used — listing the work you did but omitting the array of skills that you need to accomplish that work is a major omission in most CV's. You should never mention a task or accomplishment without highlighting both the technical and people skills required to accomplish it. Start with a list of all the skills that you can find in job descriptions of interest and try to mention each one.

Technology tools and processes — few things are more important these days than the ability to use and understand technology. Look for work examples that demonstrate your ability to learn and leverage emerging technology and processes.

A comparison number — numbers are powerful, but to an outsider, a single isolated number might not mean much. As a result, it is always a good idea to provide a comparison number to show context. Comparison numbers can include the very best in the industry, the best number inside the company, the average number, last year’s number, the target number, or your competitor’s number (Example: Broke previous sales records by selling 13 additional units on average, per period, and producing revenue 146% above average in our industry.)

Quotes are included — a direct quote from a manager, supervisor, co-worker, or even a customer can add credibility and perspective to any accomplishment. (Examples: Was highlighted in my manager’s annual departmental performance review to senior leaders as the “most valuable” team player).

Killer phrases are used — there are certain phrases in business that are universally accepted as signs of good work. Wherever possible include phrases like … “cut costs by xx%,” “completed the project under time and under budget,” “used technology to improve customer service,” “did more with less,” “increased market share by xx%,” “increased margins by xx %.”

Once you have put together your new CV, put yourself into the Hiring Manager's shoes and ask yourself, would I call this person to interview, or ask 3 or 4 friends for their opinions.