By Angela Tjalsma, CV Editor, Sli Nua Careers, Ballinrobe

Take time preparing your CV. This is a document that will lead you to career success.

Don’t be lazy about your CV. Put yourself in the interviewer’s shoes! Look to your Job Specification or Job Advertisement for guidance. If an Ad reads that the company are looking for ‘managerial experience with a background in sales’ ensure that your CV refers to your experience in leading and directing people and any specific examples of sales success. The biggest error that people make here is that they place very little emphasis on what is important. Your CV should highlight what is imperative for the vacant role. Make it easy for the Interviewer to select you.

 

Professional
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• Spelling must be perfect
• Enter enough information to let the Interviewer know your background
• List your key achievements – this ensures that your CV stands out from the others. (For example, a Sales Person can list their growth in sales for a particular sector or quarterly period i.e. that they increased sales growth by 40% over a three month period)
• If you include your referees, ensure that they are contacted in advance. There is nothing worse than contacting a referee who does not remember the candidate.
• If a particular qualification is vital for the role, include it at the top of the CV. In all other circumstances, put it at the back.

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Top Three Tips
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• Ensure that your CV is targeted for each job that you apply for.
• Include a personal statement/philosophy at the top of your CV
• Always check dates and spelling before sending your CV

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Biggest Errors
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• Bad Spelling
• Wrong Dates
• Missing Dates/Gaps in the CV
• Lies on the CV (do not tell fibs on the CV even if they’re something minor like your hobbies and interests)
• Too much information/Too little information
• Over inflated Job Titles
• Too much jargon
• Too long/Too short (Having a CV that is too long leads to the Interviewer getting bored) Too short (does not give you a competitive edge)
• Group of text is too congested, not enough white space and bullet points

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Useful Descriptions:
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• Developing
• Challenging
• Initiating
• Leading
• Communicating
• Coordinating
• Liaising
• Responsible

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Angela Tjalsma is CV Editor with Sli Nua Careers and works out of Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo. You can make a booking HERE to have your CV, Personal Statements and Application Forms completed by Angela.

More articles from her blog can be accessed HERE