CV writing – from boring, ineffective and stressful to job-winning

CV writing can feel like a boring stressful chore. What if writing your CV could turn into a fun, stress-free and life-changing experience? Would you want to find out more? I guess, you would.

The sad reality for many job seekers is that thanks to Google you can find tons of websites and articles with great tips, but since there are so many resources or free templates it means that: 

• Finding how to write a job-winning CV can take you hours … 
• Using free CV templates makes you sound like everyone else, killing your chances to stand out from the crowd … 
• Your job search can turn into a tiresome experience with no job interviews … 

In this article I will share  a few tips that can help you turn your boring CV writing and job-search experience into a fun and inspiring job-targeting. 

 

 

1. Ditch free generic CV templates. Create your own job-winning personalised CV Template.

Searching for a free CV template may seem like a logical step. But here is the thing. These are available to hundreds of other candidates who will do exactly the same thing as you do. Yup, unfortunately using these generic CV templates will make you sound like a dozen of other candidates applying for the same job.

If you’d like to stand out from the crowd and feel confident to compete, it’s time to create your own personalised CV template. Isn’t it time to finally grab the heart and mind of recruiters and your new hiring manager?

Your personalised CV template is:

• written in your tone of voice and gives a positive vibe about you (it makes you feel good about you),
• shares your relevant results (on top of relevant employment history and education),
• cuts out the irrelevant work experience (less is more, so focus on highlighting your relevant key skills and experience),
• without the generic overly used words that  really make you sound like everyone else – hard-working, motivated, self-led, just to name a few.

 The best thing about creating your own template is that once you create it, you can easily re-cycle it in the future.

A job-winning CV template  that will make you stand out in less than 7 seconds

YES, SEND ME A COPY

2. Your CV and job search is not about you. It’s about pitching to the right-for-you employer.

This doesn’t mean that you should forget all about you. Not at all. As I wrote above, your CV has to make you feel good about yourself first but …

In its 2018 Eye-Tracking Study, Ladders Inc. revealed that the recruiters spend on the initial screen of a resume from an average of only 6 seconds in 2012. Today’s recruiters skim resumes for an average of 7.4 seconds. Well structured CVs with simple layouts, clear sections and headlines and resumes organised in F- or E-reading reading patters did better to get selected.

But that is just the beginning. Once your CV goes through the HR screening, it will land in the mailbox of the hiring manager, who will look at your CV from a totally different perspective perspective than the HR people.

As a hiring manager, I am often suprised that a vast majority of CVs I’ve seen still don’t explain how candidates added value to their employer. It can be helpful to realise that your CV isn’t a summary of everything you learnt, know or can do at workplace.

It should be clear from your CV how you help your hiring manager achieve their organisational goals.

Think of your CV as a TV commercial – a good commercial takes only a few seconds to grab your attention – it shows how a specific product or service can give you what you need or desire. It awakens your desire.

In the same way, a job-winning CV shows in a few seconds how you as a professional can help your future employer achieve what they need or desire as a business.  When writing your next CV, bear this in mind. Make sure you show how you add value to your future employer using specific examples or measurable results.

 

Author: AdriAna Kosovska

Certified coach & founder of ZERO TO DREAM JOB

Helping unfulfilled professionals and freelancers in 30s & 40s create a rewarding career

Dream job & Career Development  |  Stress reduction |  Talents development