Writing The CV For The Perfect Job
Job Seeker Blog
When you find that perfect job you don’t want something as little as a poor CV getting in your way. There’s nothing more unattractive to an employer than a CV riddled with spelling and grammatical errors or than a CV which is clearly doing the rounds. It doesn’t say ‘hire me! I really want to work for you!’ it just says: ‘give me a job, please...anyone!’ You want to be aiming for the former, not the latter.
To avoid making silly mistakes on your CV read our blog, Top 5 Jobseeker CV Mistakes. This blog focuses on how to move away from a generic CV, tailoring it for your dream job.
What’s wrong with a generic CV?
In some cases there isn’t anything wrong with a generic CV, however, a CV tailored to a specific role is much more likely to impress a hiring manager as it shows your enthusiasm for their job, not just any old job and as such you are likely to be serious about the job in the long run. It shows commitment from you as a job seeker and as a potential employee which is something valued in recruitment.
How do I tailor my CV for THAT job?
Tailoring and writing your CV for the job you want isn’t difficult, it just takes a little bit of your time and well worth doing for the potential result. First and foremost, read the job advert or the job description and identify the similarities between your skills and the job. Use it as a check-list almost, and make sure that your CV is ticking all the right boxes. If the advert says demonstrable people management skills, then make sure you cover this within your CV
The next thing to do is to place some of this information into your personal statement (an introductory line at the top of your CV designed to summarise what you’ve done and what you’re looking for). A general personal statement might say: ‘Sales Manager with 5 years experience in technical sales looking for the next step in my career’. To tailor this, you might say something like: ‘Sales Manager with 5 years experience in technical sales looking to develop my involvement in X within an established and reputable company that does Y’.
Take it all the way with a cover letter
To back up your CV and really take it to market, tailor your cover letter too. Your cover letter is designed to provide additional information so include here more in-depth information about what you do, transferable skills, relevant qualifications and use this opportunity to explain why it is you want to work for this company and what attracted you to the job. You may want to say something like: ‘I would like to work for an established company who shared my values about X and can provide me with the development opportunities I’m looking for in order to achieve Y’.
Tailoring your CV is a great way to make a good impression and look enthusiastic about the job at hand...thus a great way to improve your chances of making it further in the recruitment process. Good luck!
For more handy hints, check out our other blogs:
• Tips for Proofreading Your CV
• Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid on Your CV