BY Eleanor Wolfe
Being an IT Recruitment Resourcer I spend a huge proportion of my day browsing through Microsoft CVs, occasionally, despairing at the layout, wording and overall quality of the CVs I am viewing.
In this blog I will give a few tips on how to write a CV including some qualities that I personally like to see when recruiting for a role.
Get the most recent version of your CV in front of you. Look at it objectively for a moment and ask yourself – if I was a Recruiter would I call into that CV?
If your answer is “no” or “not sure” then it is time for a spot of ‘needs analysis’. What could you include to make your profile stand out? Have I really focused around my Unique Selling Point? What could I include/remove to better tailor my CV to the type of opportunity I am looking for?
Once you have identified what improvements you need to make you can better go about developing a solution.
Spend a few moments mind mapping ideas on how you could improve your CV. If you’re struggling here are a few tips:
· Include a breakdown of the technologies used during each role – Recruiters are usually not technical; therefore, we can get a better understanding of your work duties if each technology used is clearly explained. This also saves us from asking ‘silly’ questions so we can focus completely on what is important for you.
· Quantify years of experience working on each technology – including a brief technical skills section allows us to better assess what stage you are at in your career. This stops us calling you about roles that you are too junior or even too senior for.
· Open with a ‘Personal Statement’ – It can seem like a bit of a cliché, but this can be useful as it gives us a snapshot of YOU, your seniority level, your qualifications/certifications and your personality.
· No ‘generic’ job descriptions – Clearly explain the contribution you made to each one of your roles. Do not write a generalist list of the duties of a Developer. Focus on how you have changed that position for the better.
· Keep an updated version readily available – none of us know what is around the corner, you may start wanting to change your job at any moment. Having access to the latest version of your CV allows you to become visible on the market quickly.
Implementing these tips will increase Recruiter interest in your CV and ultimately mean you get interviewed (and hopefully offered) for the best opportunities in the marketplace.
Implementing these tips will increase Recruiter interest in your CV and ultimately mean you get interviewed (and hopefully offered) for the best opportunities in the marketplace.
