Your CV is a key document in your quest to land your next job.
Of course it’s easy to see the CV writing process as simply opening up Word and starting to type.
What’s the problem with this?
For me it’s a bit like trying to build something without digging the foundations first.
A house built on poor foundations is not going to very stable.
A CV created without much thought is not going to get you very far.
Remember the purpose of your CV
The number one purpose of your CV is to get you invited for interview, not to get you a job.
To get the invitation you have to get recruiters aware of you and interested in you in order to get the invitation to interview.
Turning your CV writing into a process
I always encourage clients to see CV writing as a process.
The first step in that process is to get clear about what you have to offer an organisation. Sounds simple doesn’t it. In practice it’s a whole lot more challenging. Have you taken the time to reflect and really identify what you have to offer?
You have to get clear about skills, experience, attributes and achievements.
And of course few spend much time thinking about these things.
The second step in that process is to write your achievements differently. Lead with the key business benefit when writing about achievements.
The third step is to create a professional profile that really showcases what you bring to the organisation. This might be one of the shorter areas of your CV. Equally it is often the toughest things to write. Not least because accountants and professionals often find it hard to blow their own trumpet.
The reality
Your CV must market you effectively if you are to increase your chances of landing your next job.
So ask yourself what could you do differently to make your CV market you effectively?
Since 2006 I’ve worked with in excess of 8,000 accountants and professionals in workshops, seminars and one to one helping them land their next jobs and become better leaders, presenters and business partners. Before that I spent 25 years in accountancy climbing the career ladder from Payments Clerk to FD. I’m a CIMA Fellow, Certified Professional Coach and Team Coach Facilitator.