Recruitment Advice, Career Advice

An up to date and relevant CV should be part of your career management. Robert smith of The Management Recruitment Group gives some advice on what to do to keep your life story up to date:

Do your research

Nothing shows a candidate in a poorer light than a lack of research. With the internet the ability to find key facts, latest news and organisational information has never been easier.  If you have been in your current role for some time, you need to get up to date with what skills are in demand, which are necessary and those that are good to have. This self-awareness will stand you in good stead. If you are serious about your job application for a particular company, do your homework and reflect this in your application.

CV Hygiene

A CV is really a living document – taken from the Latin, curriculum vitae, meaning story of life, a CV for a senior appointment should have the highest standards of communication and information. Make sure you include the correct basics, name, address, and contact methods.

From our experiences in recruiting for more than 30 years, the 1^st page of your CV needs to be as compelling and appealing, visually and in content, as possible. The key facts about you and your achievements in your most recent role should be quickly digestible so that the person recruiting can quickly discern that you are a hot candidate. Correct spelling, proper punctuation and good grammar are a must for a senior appointment – it is always a good idea to get someone to read and critique your CV before sending it.

Make your CV relevant

This is perhaps the most overlooked area by senior candidates when applying for a job. As you get 5, 10, 15, 20 & more years experience under your belt, you should be able to refine your CV so that it is almost bespoke for each application you are making. Whilst this sounds like a lot of work, in reality it is about being clever with the information at your disposal.

By reading the job specification you should quickly discern the core skills sought and the experiences needed. This will allow you to use particular phrases and data on your CV that will appeal to the recruiter. Also, as you progress in your career less emphasis needs to be given to your earlier career roles & experiences. Employers seeking to fill senior appointments are very keen to know your past 5-10 years experience in great detail – make sure you place considerable emphasis on these important years and experiences.

A place for everything

And everything in its place - an old maxim but the best for a smartly written and presented CV. Present your academic achievements in reverse chronological order, with the highest qualification first. Professional or chartered memberships are generally a must for senior candidates so make sure you mention them – never assume that the person reading your CV would expect you to have the relevant qualifications – always include them.

Your most recent role (particularly if you have been in it for some years) is the one that the recruiter will pay most attention to. This needs to be bursting with hard facts and information about your achievements, simply regurgitating your job description and say you do this will not suffice. Recruiters are looking for clear and quantified examples of delivered projects and sizeable tasks. An overview with timelines, budget and people managed, and deliverables against time & budget will help a recruiter understand what you’ve been doing.

Additional information

At the Management Recruitment Group, we have seen every hobby and pastime quoted in this area of a CV. It is your opportunity to add some personal information that will help the recruiter to complete the picture of you. Key skills that would be of benefit to the job should be added here – literacy in IT and various software used (with competency levels) is essential.

You can also mention driving licence, languages spoken, your core hobbies and interests and whether you hold any positions of responsibility outside the workplace – for example school governor or under-8 football coach. Everything is an opportunity to convince the recruiter that you are a highly capable candidate and worthy of interview.