Write Right: Get your CV up to speed

Is your CV getting chucked into trashbins or being overlooked by hiring managers?

Take a look-through of your resume or CV. Does it really give a clear representation of what you do,  and your achievements; does it clearly state your career objectives or bear any relevance to the positions you are applying for? Is your resume or CV even  updated?

Perhaps it’s time to re-write your CV, and here are some tips on how you can re-craft a CV that at least gets you noticed:

1. Use titles or headings that match the job you are applying for. Employers receive dozens of resumes for jobs advertised, and you want to make sure yours captures their attention. One way to do this is to use headings that reflect your job title and skills that relate to and match the job you’re applying for.
2. Use a design or format that grabs attention. It’s all about presentation: use a resume format that highlights the most important information about your work, education qualifications and skills. This should be done that allows the employer to be able to understand your strengths and experience at the first glance. Avoid using fanciful backgrounds that will distract the reader.
3. “Sell” yourself through the contents. Resume design should get attention, but the contents of your resume, i.e. descriptions of your skills and abilities, knowledge and experience, determines how many interviews you will get. For instance, rather than say “managed sales accounts”, you might want to plug in figures: “Managed more than 1,000 accounts in the Asia Pacific region”.
4. Use Power Words. Particularly if you were applying for a managerial or supervisory position, use “management speak”on your resume. Words and phrases like “directed workflow”, “change agent”, “supervised 5 staff” conjures an image of someone at a higher level compared to “gave work assignments to staff”.
5. Analyze Ads and Job Descriptions. Job ads and job descriptions contain vital clues as to the skills, attributes, qualifications and experience the employer is seeking in a potential candidate. This would better allow you to include words and phrases that better reflect these qualities in your resume. Customising your resume is a good idea, because job requirements differ even for similar jobs in the same industry.
6. Identify and Solve Employer’s Hidden Needs. It’s a good idea to gather some intel on the company before you send out your resume. Corporate websites are a good source for information that you can use to figure out where the employer’s corporate focus is, anticipate their needs, and show how you can meet those needs.
7. Hard-sell your skills. For instance, if you have strong networking skills, reflect it on your resume with a statement like “Managed to create 100 new accounts through personal networking contacts”, “Was responsible for, and oversaw the process of, the company’s ISO certification in 2006″.
8. Synergise contents of your resume and cover letter. It’s always a good idea to craft out a well-written cover letter that summarises relevant experience, skills and attributes you think makes you a suitable candidate for the role. It is especially important that the claims made on your cover letter are substantiated by what is written on your resume.