The First Thirty Seconds

In the competitive job market, it's crucial to have a well-crafted CV (aka 'resume') to secure an interview. As I explain in my books ‘Career Karma’ and ‘Resume Karma’, the first thirty seconds of an employer's review of your CV are by far and away the most critical. Within these few seconds, an employer will likely scan read your CV in order to make a judgment call if you're the right candidate for the job and thus read on.?

Hence, it's vital to create a resume that's both professional and easy to read, highlighting the only three areas that really matter on a CV – Do you have the relevant technical skills and experience? Do you have the right qualifications? And have you had relevant roles in your career so far?

Your CV is not a biography, it is your single most important marketing tool to showcase your skills and abilities. If you don’t get it right, then chances are you won’t get an interview and this career opportunity will join the others on your ‘Ones that got away’ list.?

A well-organised and easy to read document conveys confidence, competence, and professionalism as well as getting the key message across – that you have what is required for this job. In contrast, an unorganised and poorly formatted resume can indicate a lack of attention to detail and a careless attitude towards the application process, plus the reviewer won’t be getting the information that they are seeking in order to make a decision on whether to interview you or not.

In addition to highlighting your skills, your CV can reveal your communication and organisational abilities. Simple mistakes, such as typos, incorrect dates, or grammatical errors, can portray a lack of care and attention to detail. Employers will often use these mistakes to eliminate potential candidates from the hiring process. Whatever you do, always make sure that someone else proofreads your CV before you submit it. Experience has shown me that they will spot something that you yourself missed!?

In conclusion, your CV is the first impression you make on a potential employer. Thus, investing time and effort to craft a well-organised, key information targeted, and error-free resume is essential. This will increase the chances of securing an interview and, ultimately, landing your great career opportunity. Put simply, your CV is the single most influential and important document that you will ever write.

Author:

James Fairbairn, Partner at Lester Blades Executive Search & Board Advisory

You can find my books at:

-???????Career Karma (e-book & paperback) – Amazon, Booktopia, Dymocks and on Apple iBooks

-???????Resume Karma (e-book) – Amazon (for just $1!)