IN AN age where templates rule, job seekers must work hard to put an individual stamp on their CV’s if they want to be noticed by prospective employers. CVs don’t get jobs – people do, “says Kerry Damons of Boston City Campus and Business College.
It follows that you should spare no effort in making a CV as close presentation of you as possibly can.” A template, she adds, is a good starting point but the downside is that many CVs end up looking like one size fits all. Modern technology has robbed us of individuality and has caused an information overload.
Put yourself in a shoes of a prospective employer looking through a large number of CVs, be they on paper or digital: a CV that has an individual feel and look about it stands a better chance of being spotted, doesn’t it? According to studies the average time spent reading a CV is around three minutes.
That’s about as long as contestants on Idols or SA’s Go Talent TV shows have to make a good impression on the judges, comments Damons. “But contestants, unlike job seekers, have the advantage of having good music, having props and fancy clothes helping to showcase their talents and adding to their personal appeal.
Taking ideas from the Boston Pre-employment readiness programme, she suggests using some of the following tips to move a prospective employer to tears of joy-á la Randall Abrahams of SA’s Got Talent – at finding your CV:
Avoid information overload – people often fall into the trap of preparing a document which incorporates as much information as possible to keep their options open. This results in a CV that is unfocused and will not hold the reader’s attention for long –winded “here are all things I have done” document that contains your entire working history and achievements, but use it for record keeping purposes and not as marketing tool.
Tailor-make – a tailor made CV stands out from the crowd as being a reflection of your uniqueness. Condense or even omit experience and skills that are not relevant to the position you’re applying for.
Focus on strengths – you must concentrate on the skills that will sell you into a position. You won’t wow an audience when you try to show off your talents as a dancer, a singer and acrobat all in one performance – the same applies to your CV.
Leave room for wrong assumptions – describe your job functions fully so the prospective employer has all the facts at one glance: instead of saying “doing debtors” say “managing a debtors book worth R2 million and totaling approximately 500 debtors with help of two debtor’s clerks. This will also highlight your on-the-job skills and knowledge.
Keep up with trends – templates don’t always keep up with the latest trends and developments. One of these is the trend to “green” CVs. With all the emphasis on environmental issues, it’s a good idea nowadays to show on your CV that you’re environment-conscious. Mention that you personally believe it’s important to look after the environment and briefly explain how you protect our natural resources in small ways in your daily living and working. You can send your CV (as well as the covering letter) via e-mail as opposed to printing it out to demonstrate that you practice what you preach. A word of caution from Damons, however: don’t claim to be environment-conscious if it’s not true, as false claims and being phoney will not win you any points.
Read other CVs – unless into HR or recruitment, you’re not likely to see many CVs, which means that you don’t know what others look like in comparison to yours. Try to see what CVs of friends and colleagues look like so that you can find ways to distinguish yourself on paper – what in artistic circles is commonly referred to as “finding your own voice”.
As we head towards the end of the year, many people start getting itchy feet and start looking for new jobs, “says Damons. “Although there are many ways to prepare a CV and equally as many arguments as to which style is right or wrong, remember that you need to stand out.” Also as the academic year draws to a close, a number of students will enter the job market for the first time, he points out.
“We help our final students to compile a CV that goes beyond merely showing their qualifications so they can find jobs – after all, this is the objective of getting good education and training”
Boston City Campus and Business College offers more than 80 dynamic career qualifications through 48 branches nationwide. Unisa degrees and media studies are also available at selected branches. Contact Boston on 011 551 2000, e-mail info@boston.co.za, or visit www.boston.co.za for more information.
CLICK HERE to download Full Article (225 KB)
Students that apply for admission at Boston City Campus & Business College will get a response to their applications within two working days. And those that apply long in advance for their 2016 studie…
Read more »
