Time to Spring Clean your CV – Dust off that old resume, polish up the edges and add some sparkles!
Athi Mbete
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Almost a month into the year and as usual, we are neck down into goal planning, job hunting and career mapping. Whether you are looking for your first big break in the job space be it an internship | learnership | graduate programme or your next career move – how you position yourself for job opportunities is crucial……and it starts with your CV.
I recently worked on a big project for about 3 months for a global shipping and logistics company and we were tasked to assist them streamline and shortlist candidates to be interviewed by different Line Managers nationally from over 3500 applications and the objective was to only appoint only 60 candidates and I must say, I was quite saddened by the quality of the applicants’ CVs.?
Only 2% of resumes make it past the first round. Be in the top 2%
So how do you make the cut and ensure that your CV gets to the Line Manager? And these were the boogies that I found from many applicants which did not allow them to make it through the selection funnel.
1.???CVS pages captured by camera and sent as images
This is a serious big NO! No one will even take time to look at your CV as this is an indicator that you are not serious with your self and you do not take the job application process serious as well. CVs must be typed in a Word document or whichever suitable template then saved and sent either in MS Word or PDF format. If you do not have access to a laptop or computer, I would rather suggest that you go your nearest library or internet café to type out your CV accordingly. And if you are struggling with a CV template, please visit the following links for appropriate templates.
2.???CV Presentation – CRYSTALLIZE YOUR CV
Your CV Presentation or outlay is very important – as cliché it may sound but it’s true that we “eat” with our eyes first before we taste and same applies with the Recruiter or the HR person who must review your CV. What attracts or pulls our attention is how your CV is presented – structure, order and cleanliness.
Therefore, it’s important to make your CV a “soft landing” that would make the Reader to want to go on a journey with you. Job hunting is a journey and doesn’t have to be daunting and stressful and therefore curate an exciting journey for both you and those who will meet you along the way to make your career search a success. Make people excited to help you by putting deliberate effort on your CV.
?On a personal note, I truly get excited by people who put effort in everything that they do despite having minimal resources or whatever challenges – EFFORT IS ATTRACTIVE! It will draw people from afar to help you.
3.???Lack of Details on the CV – Lacking “Juice”?
?I always say that the “juice” is in the detail – what makes your CV stand out besides the outlay of your CV, is the information, the detail on your CV which is the winning formula. DETAIL DISTINGUISHES YOU FROM THE REST OF THE PACK! Your CV?must be rich and wholesome like a thick, mutton curry stew in winter……hahahaha! I know there is this common trend that 2-page CVs are the in-thing now, but I always say, be careful to follow trends that might jeopardize your job-securing chances. Detail is BOSS! Put in as much information as possible especially the following area:
*?????Leadership Roles – simple things like being captain of a netball team or Head of Debate team. These are the indicators that you have possess the qualities of a leader
*?????Achievements – whether achievements in School or Professionally, making the provincial or national team for sports certainly count so please do include it
*?????Subjects/Modules and results obtained – please do also include this
*?????Projects – Projects worked on, value of project and time frame spent to complete the Project, Number of Accounts or Portfolios looked after
Vital details give your CV that je ne sais qoui! I did not say go add in things like hobbies – how much you like sowing etc.…. hahaahaha! Structure the information you put in your CV according to the role you are applying for – I call it “Marry your CV to the Position you are applying for”
4.???Work Experience?
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I always tell my candidates that you need to explain your daily duties by breaking them one-by-one in a bullet format – Unpack, unpack, unpack your daily work functions like you are explaining to someone in Grade R. For instance, if you are a Cashier, then you need to give a breakdown of what duties you carry out – i.e., handling daily cash float, scanning customers grocery items, packaging customers goods, keeping till area clean etc.
?Give the specifics by including dates (month and year) of when you started these roles and when you finished the job for example June 2020 – June 2021. Don’t leave the CV reviewer second guessing when you started the job just by putting the year only.
Your working experience must be in chronological order as well with your most recent experience at the top. When there is lack of information on the CV, it makes the CV reviewer not excited to pick up the phone and do that prescreening call.?
5.???Key Skills
With today’s top tech and creative generation, it’s important to include your technical or creative skills whether it’s the use of MS Office | Google Suites | Adobe Creative of Photoshop | Canva | Website Design | Mac| Coding | Working on Software Applications i.e., Mobile App developing| Social Media Management etc. Blow your own bells and whistle – Be your own biggest Cheerleader and do not be afraid to mention it! Who knows, these might be skills that the company you are applying to, might need.?
6.???To attach an Image OR not on your CV
?It is not really a big deal if you are going to attach an image on your CV or not BUT if you are, I always recommend that it’s a professional headshot. And fortunately, the phones of today take phenomenal pictures. Remember – clean, sleek, and meticulous is the name of the game!
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7.???A cover letter or not
Unless the position you are applying for requires for one, covers letters are not a must. Should you need to write one, please keep it short, sweet, brief, and punchy on why you should be considered for the role and moreso what you are bringing to the table – I call it the X-FACTOR.
Remember your CV is your business card and its what will put you in the forefront before even the actual interview so its important to put together a winning CV that will immediately cause the CV Reviewer to pick up the phone and call you.
A well put together CV is indicator that you take yourself seriously. Do things right and the right things will respond to you. Make your CV attractive and magnetize the attention of the Reader. Like reading a menu from a 5-star restaurant – make the Reader choose YOU to go through the process. Give us a 5-course a’ la carte menu of a CV!
As we all know, South Africa is sitting with 7.826 million unemployed people right now in the country and what will distinguish you from the pack and lock you in those interviews starts with your CV. So, invest time and invest resources on your CV to ensure you have a winning one. So, before you apply for that position, do ask yourself if - is your CV looking decadent, appealing with the X-Factor to cause a Recruiter to pick up a call and call you??
?May you write winning CVs that will blow the Recruiter’s mind out of the water and if you are not confident about the touches you have made on your CV, please do kindly ask someone to review your CV and allow them to share their thoughts including constructive criticism, that’s the only way we can grow.
Final Words - In your season of waiting for the break big, its important that you prepare yourself for where you are going and what you desire. Work on yourself, work on your goals, work on your dreams. Work on your CV before you start those applications
Stay Winnings, Stay Positive – You are Great!!
Athi Mbete is the Founder & Chief Fire Igniter TransEra Solutions – a people-development consultancy firm that focuses on moving individuals and teams from ordinary by giving them a new focus with a highlighted path that will guide them to a culture of winning and optimal performance.
She also is the Managing Partner of a Diversity and Inclusion Recruitment Agency Equity Insights.
Athi also is a passionate Speaker and Chief Igniter on topics around Career Coaching and Development, Youth, Women and Leadership Empowerment | People-Building and Personal Brand Development
For more information visit?www.transerasolutions.co.za
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Industrial Engineer l Project Management Specialist
3 年Its time.