Writing cv
Writing a CV can be an uphill and time-consuming task if you do not know how to do it right. There is a need to ensure that that it is in order to increase your chances of being hired. Here are some tried and tested tips on how to write a professional CV.
Keep it real
Research studies show that most employers only take 8 seconds to review each CV sent by job applicants. Based on this fact, it is recommendable to keep it short by only including the most relevant information. Ideally, it should not be more than two pages of A4 papers.
Customize Your Resume
Most job seekers are tempted to send the same CV when applying for different jobs in a bid to save time. Unknown to them is that this is unethical and lowers their chances of landing the job. It is imperative that you customize your CV for each role that you are applying for. Additionally, you should carry out extensive background research on the company in order to understand the kind of skills that they are looking for.
Incorporate a Personal Statement
Assuming that the employer will hire you outright by just considering your experience is completely wrong. Instead, you should create a quality personal statement to explain why you are the best candidate for the job. The statement should resonate with your cover letter hence ensure all details are accurate.
Avoid leaving gaps on Resume
It goes without saying that leaving gaps in your CV will make the employers suspicious of your work history and conduct. One of the best ways of solving this problem is by putting a positive spin on the situation. That is, offer a credible reason why you were unemployed. For instance, you can state that you enrolled in a course or volunteered as a social worker in your community to gain additional skills such as project management and communication skills.
Ensure it is updated
You should strive to keep your CV updated whether you are applying for a job or not. Any positive growth in your career should be recorded as it is very easy to forget especially when trying to make ends meet.
Get rid of all errors
Employees look at each CV that is sent by job applicants to uncover mistakes and flaws. Based on this fact, any error can disqualify you. Hence, ensure that your copy is free from any spelling mistakes before emailing or posting it to the prospective employer. It is totally fine to use online spelling checking tools to identify and correct grammatical and spelling errors.
Never lie about your educational background or academic qualifications
Lying about your qualifications will land you in trouble once the employer contacts your references or carries out any background research. Of course, the last thing you want is to get hired only to lose your job before the end of the month when they find out that you do not have the skills and experience required to get the job done.
Make it stand out
We live in a world where your image is everything. Hence, paint a positive first impression by keeping the sentences short and use bullet points to explain each skill.
Finally, use numbers to increase your chances of being hired. Instead of stating that you helped your former employer to increase sales, state that you managed to increase sales by 80% within 6 months.
Increase your chances of getting your dream job by writing a quality CV.
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