First Impressions

I kept the title simple as the subject should be just that. However, when it comes to putting all your skills, experience and career highlights onto a few blank pages that golden perspective seems to leave people struggling with boxes and paying strangers to write their inner most professional thoughts. I'm going to try keep it simple - Here goes…..

Writing a CV

So look, we all know there are 101 ways to write a CV. That everyone that has an opinion will give you their 10 pence worth. You can’t please everyone, and so you should just write your resume how you want and every agent, client or employer can just take it as it comes? WRONG.

There are rules and opinions that are common amongst every recruiter I have worked with and clients I have sent CVs to.

So here’s the thing, the CV is your way of grabbing someone’s attention. And for any one role you might be up against 200 individuals. Imagine being in a crowd that big, all trying to talk to one individual at the front, and the only way you can make them turn their head your way is by the words you use and in what order.

And just to make it a little more interesting (if you didn’t already know) - Attention spans ain’t what they used to be.

In other words, unlike our parents we get easily distracted because, well, er, sorry I was just checking my twitter account (you get the idea). So just like the elevator pitch you have a limited timescale to win someone’s longer (time) investment.

With that in mind what would you put at the top of your CV (under your name, I mean everyone introduces themselves even in the digital age)?

No not your education, try again. List of skills and software you can use, really? Even if you work in IT you are wasting 15-20 seconds of your pitch on your capabilities within technology? The 90’s are the last time anyone was impressed that some could develop in Java or answer 3rd line technical questions.

In this era, people want to know who you are, the level within a business you work at, and the type of projects you have successful worked on. It is a business enabled world baby.

So you’ve given them an understanding of how they could position you in their business but why should they chose you over the other CVs they’ve got to look at or what else you can add to their current team? Well I guess it would be a great idea to tell them how you’ve been instrumental in making the other company’s you’ve worked for better by having you around. Specifically tell them what you are most professionally proud of over the last 5-10 years. Around 6 bullets points that demonstrate your worth to the companies you’ve worked for and how that would be good for the potential employer.

We’ve got their attention – phew. Now it’s time to show them the details:

Where you have worked

Your role

How long for

Skills (and yes software can be included)

And the projects or specifics you worked on whilst working there

This should be repeated for the last 10 or so years. Key to this section is to describe the role in a few sentences and then use around 4 bullet points to highlight specific skills and achievements. This assists in breaking up the page and keeping the attention of the audience.

What about work history previous to the last 10 years? A line or two saying that work prior to this time was in a. industry b. roles and that further information can be provided on request should suffice.

Education and qualifications – it comes at the end because it was important when you did it and shows that you can commit and have a level of IQ and to some organisations it is still more valued that EQ…..

Personal information.

Finally be prepared and accept that each role that comes up may require you to have to do a tailored version of your CV. A role that is the next step in your career should be worth 30-60 minutes of your time (investment) to highlight the right experience from your career to date.

That is really it, oh apart from a few words of wisdom from my interaction with the world of recruitment and talent acquisition:

• Don’t use boxes
• It takes up space that you could be using to sell yourself
• It’s not a restaurant menu
• “I don’t like boxes on CVs so I binned it” – quote from a HR Director
• If you bold titles don’t underline
• If you underline titles don’t bold
• Make sure you use the same font all the way through
• Don’t rely on your software package to check for grammar or spelling mistakes: edit, edit, edit
• Then ask someone you are confident has good language skills to read it
• Never, and I do mean never, pay someone to write your CV
• If you are using a font size below 10 to fit in the words, you have too many words – delete some (edit)

Miles Austin has 20 years recruitment experience with an MSc Business Psychology. He works for itecopeople a recruitment company based in Cornwall, Devon, Gloucester and Kent working with client across the UK and Europe on delivering senior IT and HR recruitment solutions. Please contact Miles on 01566 776888 or email [email protected] to discuss any recruitment needs. For details of IT roles in your sector please visit www.itecopeople.co.uk