What is a CV?
A Curriculum Vitae (CV) is defined in the dictionary as ‘an outline of your educational and professional history, prepared for job applications’. But it is much more than simply this: it is a personal marketing document which, if well designed, will effectively highlight your key skills and experience relevant to your target job.
A good CV is targeted to a specific job application; it highlights your experience and skills in relation to the requirements of your target job. It is concise, well structured and easy to read, focusing on your achievements. It is, in short, a ‘selling’ document intended to market you most effectively to a prospective employer.
An interview-winning CV first focuses on what is required in the target job, then highlights your relevant experience. Put yourself in the employer’s shoes: what would they want to know? If you are targeting a job in a similar industry to your current job, then you will probably want to highlight similarities in responsibilities, clients and markets. If you are changing career direction, you will need to give a little more detail on your previous experience to help the reader understand where you are coming from.
Your CV should be a "living" document, continually updated to reflect your skills and achievements. Whether you are actively looking for a new job or just taking stock, an up-to-date CV serves to help you focus on what you have actually done. Taking an objective look at your CV can help you to identify where your career is going, what skills you have developed, and what you might need to do to progress. In short, think of your CV as a personal record of your development and achievements.
The CV as part of your jobsearch
In today’s rapidly changing employment market, your CV – whether online or offline – is your key self-marketing weapon and an integral part of your jobsearch toolkit.
Your CV is your first contact with a prospective employer. It should be tailored to that specific job application, focusing on requirements of your target job and highlighting relevant skills. If you are responding to an advertisement, be sure to address each of the selection criteria in your CV. If you are targeting an organisation speculatively, focus on any similarities between what they might need and your experience.
The best CVs make it easy for the reader to find the relevant details they need and speak the language of their target market. Give a brief description of your roles and responsibilities - quantify and qualify such statements where appropriate to put your job in context. You could mention the size and market position of your current employer; the types of products / services / brands offered; the types of customers / markets in which you operate…. anything which will help the reader to understand your background. Keep such descriptions concise and simple, avoid industry-specific jargon or too much management-speak.
Focus on your performance, therefore implying what you can contribute to your target employer. Highlight key initiatives and achievements. Use ‘action’ words to suggest dynamism. Keep statements short and powerful. Instead of writing ‘I helped to increase sales……..’ say ‘More than doubled sales, generating £1.5m extra business in 6 months’. Try ‘Increased customer base by 50%………’ rather than ‘helped to develop new customers……’. If you have limited personal achievements, think about what your team or department has achieved as a group: you might say ‘Contributed to growing business in overseas markets by 20%….’, or ‘Assisted in implementing new integrated sales system, including helping to train colleagues…..’. Whatever kind of job you are in, you will be able to highlight particular achievements or initiatives. Just think about on where your performance is judged and use those criteria as a starting point.
Off- and On- line CVs
Read any job advert or talk to any contact about a job, and most will ask for a copy of your CV. Whether off- or on- line, the same basic principles apply. Standards of presentation and content should be equally high whatever method of communication you use. Keep it focused and relevant to the target job, concise, easy to read and well-structured. Write the CV in the third rather than the first person (avoiding reference to ‘he’ / ‘she’ or specific names). Use phrases rather than full sentences. Keep statements short. Bullet-point key information for ease of reference. Avoid excessive underlining, use of capitals, italics or bold. Section information using headings and sub-headings. Check and double check grammar, spelling and punctuation.
Many companies and recruiters scan CVs as part of an initial screening process. Programmed to seek out certain key words and phrases, the scanner will match the content of your CV to the selection criteria. It is crucial, therefore, that you reflect the key requirements of the job and the language of that particular sector in your CV.
Opinions on the etiquette of on-line CV submission vary. Some companies provide an on-line template which you can complete and submit direct. Always print off a copy of the template to fill in and check off-line first. The immediacy of on-line applications should not compromise the quality of the information you submit.
Others request you to ‘email your CV’ which you can do as either as an attachment or embedded in an email. Sending the file as an attachment can be difficult as some larger companies’ systems refuse to accept email attachments to prevent the spread of viruses, therefore your CV simply disappears. Embedding the CV as part of an email is a surer way of getting through, but loses all style. When using this method, keep any fancy formatting to a minimum and use a simple font. Check you are using the correct email address and think about which address you are sending it from: do you really want a prospective employer to know that you are making job applications on your current company’s time? Make contact details clear: where can they email or phone you? Check you haven’t password protected your file or done something else which will cause problems to the recipient.
Where you have the option, it is probably still a safer bet to follow up your email with a hard copy of your CV by traditional methods.
Despite the digital revolution, many employers and recruiters continue to use the ‘paper’ CV. Your hard copy CV should be professionally presented. Creative flair has its place in some industries (we’ve all got an anecdote about the graduate who etched his CV on a wine bottle or the girl who sent hers on a topless picture of herself), but unless you are ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN of your target, avoid gimmicks and keep it simple.
Always have your CV word processed in a good size, clear font (10 point minimum, preferably 11 or 12; good fonts to use are Tahoma or Omega, Arial or Universal). Proof the document carefully (preferably have a friend do it) checking all spelling, punctuation and grammar. Present on good quality, plain paper. If posting, send flat in an A4 envelope. Bind the document only if you are handing it over personally. Avoid cramping information and maintain lots of ‘white space’. Restrict the CV to a maximum of two A4 pages (one side only); exceptionally this may be extended if the application requires project or publications listings. Don’t include details of referees or salary unless specifically requested to do so. Avoid attaching a photograph (unless asked to do so, then generally make sure it is a good quality, ‘business’ shot).
On- or off-line, your CV is your first-line contact. Make sure it does you justice. Check out the ‘CV Clinic’ for advice on specific CV issues.
Interviews
Interviews can take various forms - from structured assessment centres involving group exercises to informal chats over a coffee, with telephone or video conference style interviews becoming increasingly popular in some areas. Different sectors favour different approaches; the method used by a traditional law firm is likely to be substantially different from that of an internet start-up.
Whatever style of interview you encounter, effective preparation and planning are fundamental to a successful interview. All interviews are designed to address three basic issues: can you do the job? will you do the job? and will you fit in? Focus on what the employer needs to know about you in order to select you for the job. Think about the requirements of the job and how your skills, experience and achievements reflect these needs. Review your application objectively and prepare a list of the subjects likely to be raised. Consider the obvious: why do you want to change jobs? Why do you want this particular job? Why do you think you are right for the position? What skills and qualities can you bring to the organisation? You should be able to anticipate at least 80% of the questions you are likely to be asked. Next, think about the organisation. Do your homework thoroughly - find out about the job, the company, their products / services and markets.
Face-to-face interviews can take several forms: you may be interviewed by just one person or by several as a panel representing a cross-section of disciplines, or you may be interviewed as part of a group based around a discussion, presentation or role play exercise. However informal the environment, remember that you are on show so avoid the temptation to get too pally / drunk / lascivious.
One-to-one or panel interviews are fairly straightforward – refer to the principles of good interview practice below.
Group interviews usually involve a group of candidates in a discussion or role-play forum. You may be asked to work individually or with partners. Often such scenarios involve debating a given topic. The idea is to see how you perform as part of a team, to test your committee, communication and presentation skills. Such sessions are usually complemented by an individual interview.
Non verbal communication plays a big part in the face-to-face interview, that is how you look and present yourself. Research suggests that around 60% of communication is non-verbal so body language is a big factor. The basic principles of good face-to-face interview technique are: Maintain a relaxed, confident posture with plenty of eye contact. Speak slowly (most people tend to babble in interviews) and clearly. Look the part (dress like you’re already one of the team, be that in a pinstripe suit or casual shirt). Avoid wearing anything distracting (that includes dangly jewellery, heavy perfume or aftershave). Women should wear a little make-up (believe or not, research indicates that women who put on the slap earn significantly more than those who don’t!).
Telephone interviews are increasingly being used for purely practical reasons (to cut down on travelling time, for instance, or where operating remotely is a big part of the job and threrefore good telephone technique is a pre-requisite). The most important part of a telephone interview is listening. In a face-to-face situation, we pick up (and give off) lots of extra clues. In a telephone conversation, it is much more important to really listen to what is being asked and to think carefully about how what you are saying comes across when it is not supported by non-verbal communication signals. Prepare by recording your practice interviews: how do you sound? Can you be understood clearly? are you speaking too fast / slow. As with any interview, prepare thoroughly and have with you some notes on the key issues you are likely to be asked. Also make a note of the questions you’d like to ask. Basic as it may seem, make sure you are sitting in a comfortable position (ideally at a desk or table) and will be undisturbed. Picture the person on the other end of the line and smile at appropriate times, as you would in a face-to-face interview (it shows in your voice).
Treat the interview as a two way conversation: it is your chance to learn more about them just as much as it is their opportunity to find out about you. With any interview, the golden rule is be yourself.
Tom Hackforth
Principal Consultant
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