Your C.V
Creating a good C.V.
If you are looking for a career improvement, writing a CV is a very necessary evil that will, if prepared well, ultimately lead to better things such as a new job, more money and a better overall package.
Writing a CV and selling yourself is not rocket science. As a successful sales person, you will have acquired skill, wisdom and experience, which have culminated in an ability to sell. If you apply these talents to CV writing, you will succeed in securing interviews and making that life change for yourself.
The purpose of a C.V
The fundamental aim of the CV is to secure you an interview.
"Sell yourself – Be the solution!"
You are the solution that the company needs! There are many USP’s (unique selling points)about you that will be of interest, you just need to decide which ones are most relevant to communicate. This is not as simple as it seems, as you have to present a lot of information about you and your career, and create a positive feeling in only a short space.
Compiling your C.V.
How to proceed
1. Include specific information, which matches the type and level of job that you are applying for a way that presents you as the solution to what they are looking for. Be prepared to adapt your CV accordingly when applying for different roles.
2. Prioritise your job roles so that the most recent role is given the most attention first. Ensure that you give the most relevant information about the role to the reader including your responsibilities and your successes. Leave out any trivia. Extra detail can be discussed at interview.
3. Detail any back up evidence that you may have e.g. "Winner of Cycle Cup in 2007, as evidenced by league tables in my possession
4. Challenge yourself in the way you write and the words you use: the CV has its own grammar that doesn't necessarily use sentences and paragraphs but if you remember that as a recruitment company we may use your CV to write a quick report about you then you can adapt your grammar accordingly.
5. Choose an attractive style, which means simplicity: avoid boxes, graphics, templates in any of your computer programmes, photos (unless you are a stunner!) and get your fonts right (A tip: Tahoma and Verdana are the best when you email your CV to us and you can use 9.5 point size to give yourself space).
6. Fine tune your CV: show it to your friends and partners and have at least one person proof-read it. There is absolutely no room for error and the spell check on your PC is not always perfect.
7. Think before you write………
Take out a sheet of paper and write: What do I want them to know about me?
At this stage your personality is not important (sorry!) so don't tell them that you are keen, determined and hard working. You can send these messages, but it must be in a professional way:
Example 1: I need to tell them that I am such a good sales person that I have consistently over-performed despite the industry suffering, and difficulties such as having to report to 3 different managers in the last year
For now, take no notice at all to the structure of your words; just note down the most essential points that would impress someone who might recruit you.
Now take these messages and mould them into recruitment language
Take out the personal words such as "I" or "my", and consider a good headline about yourself based on what you've written at example 1 above.
E.g: Accomplished sales professional, with a history of annual target achievement against an environment of industry decline and acknowledged office instability.
Once you have related a core message you can back it up, either in bullet points straight away if this is the main introduction to your CV, or when you come to describe your most important, most recent job. In general, bullet points and headlines should form a linking story rather than appearing as claims that don't connect with any evidence.