What to put in a CV Part 2
Can you answer the hidden CV questions?
In Part 1 we looked at why CV’s are difficult to write and why understanding that might be key to making CV’s easier and less daunting to write. If you’ve not read Part 1, head over to the Me And My CV Blog and catch up!
Understand who you are.
As a CV is designed to market you, it’s important to know who you are before you can market yourself, so let’s look at the first question: “Who are you?” Or, to put the question another way, what kind of person are you? Are you enthusiastic? Are you passionate? Are you logical? Are you an independent thinker? You get the drift. If you’re really stuck, try asking some friends what 3 words best describe you. Do it anyway. You may well be pleasantly surprised at what they say! “Who you are” also incorporates your values. What do you stand for? Do you have integrity? Are you honest? Are you trustworthy? Values make you who you are.
What are your skills?
Now for the second question: “What are your skills?” Or more simply “What are you good at?” This is likely to be an uncomfortable question for most people, as we’re not used to saying what we’re good at. However, could this be because it’s not something we’re often asked and so don’t have a ready answer, and it is that which makes us uncomfortable? A prospective employer wants to know what value you can bring to their company, so be clear about the skills you have, not the skills you think they want based on the job description, but what you actually have. Are you a problem solver? A good communicator? Resourceful? Calm under pressure? Analytical? A hard worker?
Getting on the Yes pile
And finally, “Why should we interview YOU?” (and is a slightly sneaky question on my part). The object of this question is to make it onto the “yes” pile i.e. get through to the “for further consideration” pile. Now this sounds like a complex question to answer, however the answer is simple if you interpret it correctly. What this question actually means is, don’t give the reader any excuse to put your CV on the “no” pile!
7 Seconds to make in impression
A prospective employer, or recruiter, is likely to be looking at lots of CVs in one sitting, so on average you have about 7 seconds to make an impression on the reader. If you don’t believe me – google it. 7 seconds is not much. So, keep the format easy on the eye i.e. clean, simple and well laid out. The personal statement needs to be up front and centre. Remember, you’re marketing yourself, so don’t hide it down the side, don’t make the reader look for it – you’re wasting valuable seconds. The Personal Statement should ideally be 4 or 5 sentences and no more.
Keep it simple!
The key question to ask yourself is, would you put yourself on the “yes” pile after 7 seconds? 7 seconds allows the reader to have scanned the layout – clean, simple, well laid out, skills heading, work experience and read your personal statement. That’s it. The rest of the CV will be read later, that’s why it’s important to make sure you’re on the “for further consideration” pile.
In Part 3 we’ll look in more detail about what to include on a CV and some basic guidelines to follow.
