Do do you have any quick tips for writing my resume? I set aside some time to take it apart and write it from scratch.
There is a real art to writing a CV. Starting with the basics, many job seekers mistakenly believe that a CV is a description of the duties and responsibilities of their roles, set out in a list. However, the recruiter knows what the job looks like; they are recruiting for one, after all.
They want to see how good you are. You can demonstrate this by giving specific examples of aspects of your work where you have made a difference. For example, you may have solved a problem or managed within the distribution of fees. Include facts and figures to show how your achievements have had a measurable impact.
Always tailor your CV for each application by reading the person specification and showing how you meet the criteria
When you first think about updating or writing a fresh new resume, you may not have a specific job in mind. That’s good, because it’s always a good idea to keep track of your recent achievements. However, be very clear that this will never be the finished CV you use to apply for a role. Always tailor your CV for each application by reading the person specification and showing how you meet the criteria. A tailored CV will outperform a generic CV when assessed by the recruiter.
Consider the length. Seconds, rather than minutes, will be spent reading your resume. Although it may seem unfair, considering the hours you may have put into it, you need to put yourself in the time-pressed recruiter’s shoes. Keep your resume in two-page format. This encourages you to distill the information and think carefully about what to include – and, more importantly, what can be left out. Even if you have a 30-year career behind you, recruiters are unlikely to be interested in what you did even 10 years ago, so focus on the last few years.
Although not widespread in smaller businesses, technology is increasingly being used by many medium and large businesses to filter resumes against a job description. These work primarily by analyzing keywords and phrases and then ranking those CVs that closely match the job description. Be aware that applications may never even be seen by a human.
Finally, even if sophisticated filtering tools are not used, spelling is noticeable to both humans and machines. Despite spell checking tools, errors often slip through. The best advice is to get someone else to read your CV before you send it. It is easy to become blind to your own mistakes when you are very familiar with a document.
AJ Coach Matthew Turner is an architect and careers consultant who runs the consultancy Building on Architecture. Email him in confidence at [email protected]
