Ever wondered where would be a great place to work in Ireland. I just read a post listing the top 50 companies to work for in Ireland. So if you are writing your CV why not send it to these companies.
Over 90% of CV’s fail because they lack focus. Most jobseekers write CV’s without considering the employer and what they want. The result is that many include irrelevant information and leave out the important stuff. Lack of focus can mean missing out on important interviews. Focus on the employer and your application to interview ratio will improve greatly.
So how do you do this?
Analyse the job specification and if possible talk to the employer to identify what is key for them. Identify what are the essential skills, experience, personal characteristics and write your CV with this information in mind. Mirror the language used by the employer in the job specification. Develop a value statement to capture the attention of the employer.
Yes this does mean that should change or tweak you CV for each job you apply for. It is hard work but this hard work will pay with results.
The easiest way to create a CV is to use one of many CV Templates available on the web. How to find them? Easy, just open Google.ie and type ‘CV Template’, and you will surely get a list of them. By just inserting your contact details, your experience, education and a bit about yourself, you will generate your CV in a few minutes. Great!
Is it really great? Imagine how many people used the same template, and is sending a CV to the recruiter that looks exactly like yours? The fonts, the colours, the layout,… everything is exactly the same. There is absolutely nothing visually characteristic and special about your resume, it is the same as the hundreds and thousands of the resumes a recruiters has to read every day, week or month.
What really makes a difference is to stand out! To send in a CV that is special! Back in the printed CVs era it was advisable to print the CV on a coloured paper, but headings, with anything so that your CV would stand out. Today in the electronic CVs era, it does not work, but you have a whole area of the typography and layout to express yourself. Do not go to the extremes, but be different! Make sure it is easy to read. Make sure it is professional. But also make sure that it looks unique!
How to assure your CV looks unique? Well edit that template you started from, change all font faces and all font sizes. All. And that is only to start with. Be creative, express yourself. Recruiters will notice you. You within thousands. They will remember your CV and will automatically try to match it with all the jobs they have available.
Use the CV templates as a guidance what elements should a CV have, but do not just put your name over it to use it.
“Is your CV ready?”
A properly prepared CV will attract the recruiters instantly. You might be the BEST employee for any job, but without a IMPACT CV you may not get called for interview.
Invest in your future by investing some time in writing your CV. Get it right, and get it right the first time. You will not get a second chance to make a first impression.
Remember, an impact CV is the key to getting through the recruiters door!
