Everyone has a marketing document

LEONARDO Da Vinci was apparently the very first person to write a Curriculum Vitae.

Everyone is a member of a profession which means everyone has a marketing document. It is wise to remember that your CV is the first representation of yourself. Human resources managers cannot see you; they see you through your CV.

Rack up the reader with a clear CV that purports who you are, what you have to offer, what you are doing, why you are doing it and finally, what you want next. Tailor your CV to suit each application you make. There is nothing as fun and affordable as selling oneself through a CV.

In the 1930s, people used to put all sorts of information on their CVs, from height and eye colour to race and religion but what’s disturbing to note is that I still see these features on some CVs today.

During my Advanced Level at school, I used to flock with gentlemen that were power hungry. We all wanted to lead and everyone in the Lower Sixth form at that time was campaigning for what we referred to as the “top job” at our school.

Traditionally, the outgoing prefects’ board had the privilege to nominate four successful candidates who would be considered by the Headmaster to be part of the incoming prefects’ executive board in the following year. There was productive commotion as my peers and I tried to impress our seniors. We did all we could to win their favour. Our school days were characterised by a stampede of campaigns, from gate duties to assembly duties, everyone had something to do.

I later realised that I had to change my game plan in order for me to make it. My English teacher who believed I deserved the job more than anyone else advised me on a new campaign strategy. Even to this day, I still use the same tool to market and sell myself to managers and potential employers. I have also learnt to share the strategy. My teacher called it CV etiquette. It was simple and easy. He told me that the CV gave me an opportunity to provide the outgoing board a summary of my education, leadership experience and achievements. He emphasised the point that, it was my marketing document; a summary of my own course of life, that no one has ever lived. The idea was music to my ears, I was super excited and I knew for sure that the strategy would be more appealing than the old fashioned gate duties.

But, how does one plug all these components together to fit into what I like to call a marketing document? Etiquette is the science of living and CV etiquette is the science of selling yourself; proving that, you are better than the rest. In the modern business world, there are four types of CVs, that is, the creative CV that will be my focus, a technical CV, academic and skill based CVs.

The creative CV is the commonly used type of CV. It carries seven compulsory sections, namely, the personal details for the applicant, personal statement, educational background, work experience, professional skills, hobbies and/or interests and finally the references.

Human resources managers are looking out for relevant working experience, which constitutes 45 percent. I encourage members of the Toastmaster’s Society I’m part of to take up voluntary work because it will add up to your working experience tally.

Thirty-five percent is reserved for specific qualifications and skills and 15 percent is given to a well customised CV tailored for the open position.

Headings are very important as they signpost the reader. Your headings reflect the contents of your CV. Below are examples, but you can use alternative headings.

Personal Information/Details: Put your name and make it stand out right at the top of the page. There is no need to write “Curriculum Vitae” as the document is self-explanatory. Provide one reliable address, daytime telephone number/cellphone number and email address. Nationality (if there might be a query with regards to your work permit status) and gender if this could be unclear. Additional information can be your date of birth which is optional because some countries like the United Kingdom have anti-ageism legislation, same goes with marital status and your photograph unless the vacancy specifies that you should include these.

Information like religion and the “no photo” rule on resumes and CVs has been highly criticised by career experts. It’s illegal to consider factors like age, race, gender, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or disability status in hiring decisions.

Human resources managers prefer not to “officially” know whether you are a member of one of these protected classes. If you put a photo on your resume, you reveal some of these details. If the employer later interviews you, but doesn’t hire you, it opens the possibility of a discrimination claim. Some companies will even flat out CVs and resumes with photos just to avoid that potential accusation.However, the ball is in your court to decide on how best you can display your personal information.

Personal Statement/Profile:- A personal statement is an essential part of standing out from the crowd. It explains who you are, what you offer, and what you are looking for. Aim to sell yourself, prove that you are suitable in one short and satisfactory paragraph. Competitive industries like media usually require a personal profile. Employers are tired of this statement: “I am an excellent communicator who can work under pressure . . .” Do yourself a favour and do away with the 1930 type of CV. As we strive to sell our skills, abilities, qualifications and experiences to employers, bear in mind, there is no “one best way” to tailor your CV.

Education and Qualifications: — Everything from this section is put in reverse chronological order. You include the recent academic qualification attained and end with the creditable qualification you attained first. All academic backgrounds should be punctuated with the period one took to attain the qualification, the institution attended, and the level of education. It is acceptable to summarise the best grades you attained but do not list your results and certificates on the marketing document.

Work Experience:-This section should include all of your relevant work experience, listed with the most recent being the first. Include the name of the organisation, job description and a summary of your key responsibilities.

Use action words such as developed, planned and organised. Even working in a shop, bar or restaurant will involve working in a team, providing a quality service to customers and dealing tactfully with complaints. Don’t mention the routine (cleaning the tables), there are non-people skills.

Professional Skills: - I have grouped these into three, namely communication skills that comprises of languages one can communicate in. Foreign languages therefore are an added advantage; they make you stand out same goes with sign language. Information technology literacy will comprise of your know how to use Microsoft (MS) Access and Excel and an International Computer Driving Licence (ICDL) will extend your chances of being short listed for the job!

Your people skills vary with people but my advice to everyone is to always relate your skills with the job you are seeking for. A financial job will require numeracy, analytical and problem solving skills whereas for a marketing role, emphasis should be on persuading and negotiating skills.

Hobbies and Interests: - Mentioning your hobbies and interests would back up your skills. However, keep this section short and to the point. As you grow older, your employment record will take precedence and interests will typically diminish greatly in length and importance.

Bullets can be used to separate different interests. Socialising with friends’ is a 1930 type of interest to highlight on your 2107 marketing document, so don’t ever use it again! Do away with passive hobbies like reading and watching TV, you may be perceived as lacking people skills. However, if you do put these, say what you read or watch: I particularly like watching Hard Talk for the interesting insights on different global current affairs.

This is in line with my politics and international relations profession. Hobbies that are not ordinary may help you stand out; skydiving and mountain climbing can show a sense of wanting to stretch yourself in demanding situations.

Furthermore, this is the section where you can also place your achievements although some applicants place achievements as a heading on its own, the choice is yours. This is your chance to show your previous experience, how it has given you the skills needed to make you the perfect candidate. List all your relevant achievements backing them up with evidence, making it clear how you would apply those to the new role. Notable achievements may include, course representative, long service, captain or coach of a team, chair of a society or workers union and many other achievements that can be relevant to the job.

References: - Normally two references are sufficient. One can be your (tutor or academic project supervisor) and the other from your recent employer. State the position held by the person, organisation and contact details. Indeed, many employers, whether past or current seek to avoid defamation lawsuits by not saying about a past employee aside from confirming that you worked there and when. However, if you choose to put testimonials, be sure to include a name and contact information for verification.

CV etiquette helped me get selected into the prefects’ executive board and apart from that, it has never been hard for me to get hired by employers. Thanks to my English teacher. My story ends here and I hope I have helped someone move from the 1930s and 40s style of writing a CV to adopting the contemporary fashion of CV etiquette.