Let's discuss: Writing a CV

You know when you say you work in IT, your friends are immediately like, can you fix my computer?

And when I say I work in recruitment, the immediate reactions are:

• Can I give you my CV?
• Can you find me a job with high pay, flexible hour, but no responsibility? (Really, is there such a job? But let's discuss it in another post.)

And more often than not: Can you fix my CV?

Seriously though, that's not what my job all about, and this is not the first time I talk about it, but here are some tips from an insider:

• Keep it short and sweet

Please don't take Rachel's approach: 14 pages...FRONT AND BACK! Even Ross did not have time for that. Especially now that social media configures us to concentrate no more than 30 seconds a sitting. I always thought, if Sheryl Sandberg can write her CV in one page, everybody can.

• Write something about yourself

It doesn't have to be unique but it has to be you. Personally I don't think I have anything that nobody else have, but I have a very particular set of skills. Skills I have acquired over a very long career... I will look for you, I will find you and I will...

...recruit you.

Some people say you have to write it in third person, but I don't think you have to. We all know that is what you write for yourself anyway.

• Be clear, be consistent and be brief about your experience

I think we can all agree that it is easier to write shorter than to write longer. I can spend all day talking about every single task I get through in a day, but I can also put it in one sentence, in appropriate key words, with correct grammar and spelling. If you say you have IELTS 8.0, you better sound like it in your CV.

• Only include what is relevant

If you have 10+ years working experience, probably not that impressive to include that student award you achieved at high school, or that Leadership training you took for 2 days roughly about 8 years ago but couldn't quite recall what it was about, rather than the tea break food was pretty bad.

• If you have it, flaunt it

It is such a shame to claim you are good with Microsoft Office Suite but your CV is in a basic template, or say you are interested in Arts but there is no special design element.

_______

Looking for a new job is not easy. So if you are thinking about it, or doing it, or been doing it for a while, don't take it on yourself if you can't find something right away. Good things take time, and maybe one (or many) failure will open doors to a great opportunity. Be patient, be focused, don't give up, and don't blame it on you. You see, even writing the CV is tough.

And one more thing, that perfect job does not exist. I personally don't believe in “If you do what you love, you'll never?work?another?day?in your life”?. Everything needs work. Even Love can be exhausting one day.