Develop your personal brand in 2023 as a graduate within the environmental sector.
Catherine Bunting ? ??
Team Leader at Prospectus. A Recruitment Specialist - Focused on People and the Planet.
I have a number of graduates and entry level job seekers reach out to me every day for advice on how to stand out from the crowd and get their CV picked up by the right person.?Once that first role is under your belt in most sectors, and definitely within the environmental sector, your career history and project history do a lot of the talking for you and open doors.?When you don’t have this yet, what can you do?
Your CV is an extension of you.?Think of it as a marketing flyer rather than the old school “Course of my Life” document that you may have talked about at school.?There is no reason that your CV shouldn’t be reflection of your personality, as much as it shows your technical employability.?The person that you’re sending your CV is looking for someone they will enjoy working with, as much as they are looking for someone who can deliver.?How can you show personality and retain professionalism?
1.??????Format – make the format of your CV clear and easy to read.?From the top, your name, a personal professional profile, your education and qualifications, your career history, and your personal profile.
2.??????Font – go for something crisp, easy to read, and clear.?Keep it simple.?You want your CV content to do the talking, don’t be remembered as the comic sans guy.
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3.??????Professional Profile – Don’t make the mistake of getting as many buzz works into a sentence as possible.?Make this 2 short paragraphs as a maximum.?I was told early in my career that self praise is no praise, your opinion of yourself is just that.?In your professional profile, talk about what you do, and how that can add value to the company or sector that you’re looking to work with.?Make it tangible, make it honest and meaningful. Your professional profile is an introduction to you, in summary.
4.??????Career History – As an entry level candidate you may not have much of a career history to write about.?Internships are great to show exposure within a professional environment, as are volunteer positions.?Your time working as a barista, retail assistant, or even in your parent’s business are all relevant.?Think about the skill set that you employed.?Were you managing customers expectations, responsible for opening up??Involved in a product launch??Using social media to promote your employer??All of these things are valuable skills.
5.??????Hobbies and Interests – This is very important!?You’d be surprised how many of my clients comment on hobbies when Interests when I first send them a CV.?They want to hire a new team member, not a qualification.?Your ability to deliver and be an asset to their business is obviously a big priority, but so is having a team member who they want to, and can work with for 40 hours a week.?Don’t be afraid to be you, you’ll ultimately be happier in a role where you can be yourself.