Sunday 10 April 2016

A few little helpful CV writing tips

I have spent the morning trawling through job sites and constructing custom made CV's and cover letters for various available positions.
How draining and arduous this process is.  As a result I'm now feeling seriously depleted, and experiencing the kind of despair one does when they feel they are getting absolutely no where!

Why do I find this process so exhausting?

It is not due to the lack of opportunities, far from it, but because of my very limited experience in the direction that I hope to take.
Also my CV and previous work experience is somewhat eclectic.  I am a jack of all trades, and a master of none.  This fact alone presents the question of how to produce a custom-tailored CV for a particular area, which will actually be considered and taken seriously!

Oh it makes my head hurt!

And in my attempts to approach this task creatively, I feel myself tying myself up in complex knots ~ the kind which if made out of rope would make the Boy Scouts proud!

Thankfully in this modern age we have a thing called the internet - and even better than that ~ Google!  After a few moments of deep breathing exercises to induce a feeling of calm and serenity I redirected myself towards my favourite search engine in my quest to discover the very best tips and advice for constructing an effective and stand-out CV specifically for career changes.

Below I have created a little list of what I found to be the most helpful tips and advice which I have gathered from the plethora of information found on the web.


  • Utilize the Job Description to help you construct and write your objective ~ This is a super effective way of customizing your CV to the position which you are applying for.  If the position calls for a certain area of expertise, be sure to mention any relevant experience you have in the opening paragraph ( no intricate detail required here, keep it short, snappy and to the point). It goes without saying that prospective employers will spend mere moments scanning each CV that crosses their path - make sure you can grab their attention.

  • Become well-versed in the prospective industries terminology ~ This can be an arduous process, and may require speaking with people whom are already employed in the industry (which is not only useful in helping you grasp and understand the terminology, but it is also an excellent way to build connections).  It will ensure your CV is written in a language that is clear and understandable to your prospective employers!

  • Focus upon skills and experience which are most relevant to the specific application ~ And get creative here, we use and learn many skills throughout our lives, even if your last position couldn't be more of a polar opposite to the direction you now wish to embark, there will more likely than not be skills which you utilized, which are super relevant and beneficial to your desired position that simply need presenting in a different way - rephrase them and use different wording in line with the industries wording.  Sometimes we overlook the blatantly obvious, and feel as though we may not possess the relevant skills because of the way in which they are worded in the job description.

  • Remember to sell yourself! ~ A CV isn't simply a list of what experience and skills you possess, it is your sales pitch, don't just list what you can do, write it a way that truly highlights the unique qualities and skill set you have to offer.

  • Keep it clear, succinct and to the point ~ now is not the time to waffle, digress or go off on tangents.  It is also not the time for generic cliches.

  • Make sure to mention non-work related skills, interests and achievements which are relevant to the position you are applying for

  • Most Importantly - Proof Read and spell check ~ even though it seems super obvious to make sure your CV is perfect in format, spelling and punctuation before you upload and press send, it can sometimes be an after thought - we are all fallible human-beings after all.  But if you are applying for a content writer position, and you state on your CV that your English and communication skills - specifically written - are second to none, you are not only going to feel foolish for submitting a CV which has little spelling and grammar mistakes.  Your prospective employer is also going to discarding your CV to the not suitable for this role pile, i.e ~ the bin. (I made this mistake earlier in my rush and excitement to apply - we make mistakes to learn!)


I hope this may be of some help!
Thank you for reading.

Peace and love

x


  References and web links
 http://uk.businessinsider.com/ideal-resume-for-someone-making-a-career-change-2014-9?r=US&IR=T
http://www.rd.com/advice/work-career/10-things-career-changers-need-on-their-resume/

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