Regardless of your career goals or aspirations, it makes good sense to have a well-constructed CV on file, should an opportunity arise. At this stage in your career, you no doubt have a version of your CV currently available. So here are some tips and trends to consider when “refreshing” your resume.
Length and presentation
Detailed yet concise is the key with a paper CV – you want to ensure you include sufficient relevant information on your experience, skills and background while avoiding having your CV resemble a short novel.
Don’t get caught up in the format or presentation of your CV. Executive recruiters know that senior leaders/CEOs are not employed because of their word processing skills. So unless you are applying for a role in a creative field, keep your formatting crisp and clean with a simple black font (at least 10pt). There are numerous CV builders/templates available online however this is not likely to help with differentiating you. Focus instead on the content of your CV because that’s what will make you stand apart.
Make sure it is current
Do a quick sweep of your CV and ensure that it is current – employment history, contact details, qualifications etc – as well as a thorough proofread. If you haven’t updated your CV for some time, then also check that the wording is relevant. Overtime, career aspirations change – does your personal statement still reflect your career to date? Skills and capabilities that are highly sought after by employers also change – is your CV too heavy on “hard skills”?
Avoid (too many) buzzwords
We all use them but within the context of a CV, practice some restraint to make sure your language doesn’t become too cliched. As above, the focus should be on highlighting your skills and experience while providing evidence of your achievements.
Don’t forget LinkedIn
Love it or loathe it, LinkedIn is a powerful online networking site that will likely be the first port of call for a recruiter who is reviewing your paper CV. It is pretty much a given that a candidate would have a profile and at the very least, a basic amount of content. It may also be the source of a recruiter’s initial contact with you – LinkedIn is an outbound recruiting approach that enables recruiters to reach out to potential candidates through filtered search.
Make the time to update your CV regularly. A good rule of thumb is when you change roles or gain a new qualification, add it to your CV. Completing a refresh in the New Year is also an easy way to remember. You never know when a new opportunity might come your way and it is much easier to continually update your CV than start from scratch every few years.
Need help?
If you are looking for direction and assistance with creating your personal brand to tap into exciting opportunities, get in touch with us. We’d love to chat.
The Decipher Team
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