Tailor your CV for positive response
A CV is your most important asset in moving to the interview stage for a new job – it’s the calling card that can get you a foot in the door.
The more effort you put into tailoring your CV to the role you’re applying for, the more likely you are to get an employer’s attention and make a positive impression so you go forward to the next stage.
Creating the right CV is a skill in itself, but what if you’ve never worked before or you’ve got a big gap in your employment history? What do you put on that CV, then?
Well, don’t worry – you might not have work experience but that doesn’t mean you have no experience.
CVs are all about skills and they don’t have to have been gained in a job – you could have them through volunteering, a pastime, or simply through your day-to-day life.
Do you spend a lot of time on your phone, or are you savvy with software on a laptop? If so, you might have social media or IT skills that could be valuable.
Maybe as a member of a group or organisation you sold tickets for an event or helped with a fundraising campaign. That tells a potential employer you could handle budgets.
If you’re a recent school leaver or newly qualified student, have you written a blog as part of your coursework? Or did you play sport as part of a school, college or university team? They show you’re a good communicator and that you’re used to being a team player.
These kinds of skills need to be highlighted when you’re writing your CV if you have little or no work background. You can easily make them relevant to a particular role just by carefully reading the job description. See what an employer is looking for, and you might be surprised to find how many of those qualities you already have. And think about including your personal achievements and interests because they could help showcase what you have to offer to the workplace. So even if you’re short on work experience, by emphasising your personal skills you’ll highlight how much relevant experience you do have. And that could land you the job.