CVportal – help with selecting irrelevant information to include in a CV.

What exactly is a CV, and why do I need one?

Essentially, a C.V – or Curriculum Vitae, (Latin for ‘course of life’) – is a concise yet thorough record of key aspects of your life, work, and some personal details. But, always a record of your achievements and skills which an employer is looking for.
So, a C.V. is a crucial document allowing a prospective employer to select possible employees from a number of résumé’s submitted to them.

Remember, your C.V. is only a summary, an aid designed to interest a prospective employer. Therefore, a focused, well-presented, and well-researched professional C.V. is your personal marketing tool, designed to quite simply secure that all-important interview!

Often, an employer - and more so in these difficult economic times – will have a small mountain of C.V’s to work through so yours must promote you as a ‘must see’ candidate, standing out from the competition.

Your C.V. needs to identify you as someone whose experience and expertise will more than fulfil the job specification. For that reason, every C.V. you send out has to at least match the employer’s expectation. Ideally, you should have a ‘master C.V.’ which is ‘tailor-made’ or ‘customized’ to suit the particular profile being sought by each potential employer to whom you send a C.V..

So, give yourself the best chance to secure that interview, and ultimately that dream job – invest in yourself - by having a professional C.V. prepared. It could be one of the most important
investments you’ll ever make.

What information should be in my C.V?

Firstly, your C.V needs to contain basic information, such as:

Your personal data - your address, DOB, health and family situation.
Education details – School, College or University attended, when, and degree’s achieved, together with details of any subsequent courses taken – both academic and work related.

Then, as the employer is looking to see exactly how you could fit into their organisation, you need to elaborate:

Work experience - with particular emphasis on areas where precise or specialised experience is being sought.
Specific skill sets, and any particular areas of responsibility and, crucially, achievements, which can be demonstrated – and with a focused C.V., of relevance to a particular company.
Any personal qualities – both those required, or which would enhance the role you’re looking to secure.

Whilst essentially a C.V is about you, the candidate, it’s also about what you would add to someone’s business, or team. Therefore, where appropriate:

Briefly list your aspirations - such as wanting to contribute to expansion, developing new products, or creating new market opportunities – but always be realistic!
Areas where you would add value to the business - such as overseas related work experience, proven tenacity and success during difficult trading conditions, or relevant enhanced technical skills. Remember, your C.V. is your opportunity to impress – so impress!

Lastly, briefly tell the company about the ‘personal you’. For example, have you a claim to fame which would make the interviewer want to see you, such as climbing Mount Everest, winning an Olympic Gold Medal, or coaching a winning team of under 11’s in football? Employers are looking for well-rounded staff, not robots, so don’t be afraid to blow your own trumpet! But remember – in moderation – don’t overdo it as no-one is looking for someone who would intimidate or alienate existing staff members!

Is it a case of ‘substance’, or is ‘style’ important as well?

Any C.V. has to demonstrate a successful marriage between style and substance – the most impressive set of credentials submitted in an unimpressive format are unlikely to secure an interview.
Conversely, the most spectacularly presented C.V. with little substance is also likely to generate a firm rejection.

Clearly, the ideal scenario is a well-researched, well-formatted and well-presented resume – of relevant length, and with adequate and compelling information. The aim is to secure an interview with a prospective employer whose time is too precious to waste reading an overly long and heavily detailed, or equally too brief and uninformative C.V..

A good, professional C.V. ensures:

It contains the right level of information.
The information is well presented and easy to read.
The reader’s interest is maintained, even stimulated.
The required skill set and experience are a ‘close fit’ to those held by the candidate – you!
The right – positive - impression is created – quickly.
The style of C.V. is appropriate to the situation being sought.

To summarise, an effective C.V. will maximise your opportunity to secure the job you’re applying for, so, you simply cannot afford to compromise with poor or inappropriate style, and underplay or misrepresent the substance. Your C.V. only has seconds to create that all-important positive impression and connect with the person handling the application process.

LINKS:

candelisapeople are Bradford's newest and brightest recruitment agency.



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	What exactly is a CV, and why do I need one? Essentially, a C.V – or Curriculum Vitae, (Latin for ‘course of life’) – is a concise yet thorough record of key aspects of your life, work, and some personal details. But, always a record of your achievements and skills which an employer is looking for. So, a C.V. is a crucial document allowing a prospective employer to select possible employees from a number of résumé’s submitted to them. Remember, your C.V. is only a summary, an aid designed to interest a prospective employer. Therefore, a focused, well-presented, and well-researched professional C.V. is your personal marketing tool, designed to quite simply secure that all-important interview! Often, an employer - and more so in these difficult economic times – will have a small mountain of C.V’s to work through so yours must promote you as a ‘must see’ candidate, standing out from the competition. Your C.V. needs to identify you as someone whose experience and expertise will more than fulfil the job specification. For that reason, every C.V. you send out has to at least match the employer’s expectation. Ideally, you should have a ‘master C.V.’ which is ‘tailor-made’ or ‘customized’ to suit the particular profile being sought by each potential employer to whom you send a C.V.. So, give yourself the best chance to secure that interview, and ultimately that dream job – invest in yourself - by having a professional C.V. prepared. It could be one of the most important investments you’ll ever make. What information should be in my C.V? Firstly, your C.V needs to contain basic information, such as: Your personal data - your address, DOB, health and family situation. Education details – School, College or University attended, when, and degree’s achieved, together with details of any subsequent courses taken – both academic and work related. Then, as the employer is looking to see exactly how you could fit into their organisation, you need to elaborate: Work experience - with particular emphasis on areas where precise or specialised experience is being sought. Specific skill sets, and any particular areas of responsibility and, crucially, achievements, which can be demonstrated – and with a focused C.V., of relevance to a particular company. Any personal qualities – both those required, or which would enhance the role you’re looking to secure. Whilst essentially a C.V is about you, the candidate, it’s also about what you would add to someone’s business, or team. Therefore, where appropriate: Briefly list your aspirations - such as wanting to contribute to expansion, developing new products, or creating new market opportunities – but always be realistic! Areas where you would add value to the business - such as overseas related work experience, proven tenacity and success during difficult trading conditions, or relevant enhanced technical skills. Remember, your C.V. is your opportunity to impress – so impress! Lastly, briefly tell the company about the ‘personal you’. For example, have you a claim to fame which would make the interviewer want to see you, such as climbing Mount Everest, winning an Olympic Gold Medal, or coaching a winning team of under 11’s in football? Employers are looking for well-rounded staff, not robots, so don’t be afraid to blow your own trumpet! But remember – in moderation – don’t overdo it as no-one is looking for someone who would intimidate or alienate existing staff members! Is it a case of ‘substance’, or is ‘style’ important as well? Any C.V. has to demonstrate a successful marriage between style and substance – the most impressive set of credentials submitted in an unimpressive format are unlikely to secure an interview. Conversely, the most spectacularly presented C.V. with little substance is also likely to generate a firm rejection. Clearly, the ideal scenario is a well-researched, well-formatted and well-presented resume – of relevant length, and with adequate and compelling information. The aim is to secure an interview with a prospective employer whose time is too precious to waste reading an overly long and heavily detailed, or equally too brief and uninformative C.V.. A good, professional C.V. ensures: It contains the right level of information. The information is well presented and easy to read. The reader’s interest is maintained, even stimulated. The required skill set and experience are a ‘close fit’ to those held by the candidate – you! The right – positive - impression is created – quickly. The style of C.V. is appropriate to the situation being sought. To summarise, an effective C.V. will maximise your opportunity to secure the job you’re applying for, so, you simply cannot afford to compromise with poor or inappropriate style, and underplay or misrepresent the substance. Your C.V. only has seconds to create that all-important positive impression and connect with the person handling the application process. LINKS: candelisapeople are Bradford's newest and brightest recruitment agency.



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