19 Feb 2008

The power of your CV

At MVP we see hundreds of CV’s every month, and we are well positioned to advise on layout and content. Many people turn to professional help to rework their CV’s! We, at MVP, are increasingly being asked to assist. Moreover we understand freight and the supply chain. So if you would like further advice or information on this service please call us.

Alternatively you may feel well equipped and inspired to re-write your own. Here is some, hopefully, useful advice.

We are often asked to comment on the quality of candidates C.V’s. Obviously the Curriculum Vitae is a vitally important document as it’s your first opportunity to impress your potential employer. Rightly or wrongly, a potential employer is likely to BRIEFLY scan your CV, and so it’s imperative that it immediately grabs the attention, and quickly conveys your core skills set.

Whilst the following is not the only way to construct a C.V, I hope that these comments will help you to construct an appealing C.V:

1. General Layout

Design and layout should be clear and uncluttered, yet instantly attractive. I know, it’s not easy!

A chronological format is often the most effective. Concentrate on three areas; qualifications, responsibilities and achievements. The basic layout is:

· Keep personal details brief and essential (name, address, email address, phone number)

· Brief, and relevant introduction identifying your experience and areas of specialism – there is nothing wrong with tailoring this to your specific application and highlighting your relevant skills.

· Employment history emphasizing achievements in the past 10 to 15 years. Most recent job first. Indicate starting and leaving dates and the name of your employer stating business sector and your job title. Remember to emphasise your strengths and achievements.

· Education - show establishment attended, and courses studied with grades. Other relevant details are vocational qualifications with dates and course details, qualifications that you are currently studying for, and membership of professional bodies including grade of membership. Arrange your qualifications to show ongoing professional development.

· Don’t include indexes, fancy text or garishly coloured highlights. Your skills should catch the reader’s attention, not your ability to change a font! Gimmicks are often counter-productive.

Use all of the space on the page. Avoid wasteful borders and layout styles but equally don’t make it cluttered.

2. Typographical Errors

One mistake can land your CV in the reject pile. Even the best of us make mistakes, but there is no excuse for releasing an imperfect document to someone that you’re trying to impress. Proof read once completed and then the day after, and get someone else to read it as well. Do not rely purely on “Spell check” as this often overlooks errors remaining within the text.

This document is a reflection of you and should be perfect.


3. Too “Tasky”

Whist this should be a factual document, your CV should not just be a boring list of jobs held and responsibilities. Remember, you might have held roles and have skills that on paper will be comparable with a number of the people applying for this specific role. For each position held, demonstrate how you made a difference at each company, providing specific examples, and quantify resources controlled and budgets held. Achievements are probably the most important part of your CV. You MUST identify key achievements at every stage of your career. Quantify your achievements as much as possible in financial or percentage terms e.g. productivity improvement, inventory reductions, profit improvement, space utilisation, rationalisation, cost savings, expansion / growth, sales successes, service level improvements, the achievement of production/sales targets, the introduction of IT systems and benefits, negotiating major industrial relations improvements and culture / process change.These are all examples of the management of change. Most companies are looking for examples that illustrate your track record in the implementation of change in order that this expertise can be utilised by a new employer.

4. Waffle

Many candidates lose their readers right at the start of the CV, with grandiose opening statements like "Seeking a challenging position enabling me to contribute to organizational goals …… where rewards match results etc etc". If you are going to make an opening statement, make it relevant and brief. You don’t necessarily have to have an opening statement!

5. Length

This is a really difficult area. The good news is that it’s content, not size that matters. Two pages are great, but senior candidates may well have a wealth of experience that merits inclusion. There is not a definitive rule about length, but remember you have to maintain the interest of the potential employer. Don’t try to squeeze your experiences onto one page. By doing this, you may delete impressive achievements. Similarly, there are also candidates who ramble on about irrelevant or redundant experiences. When constructing your CV, ask yourself, "Will this information help me gain an interview?" The CV can be viewed as a sales document, make sure it sells you, and is not just your autobiography.

6. Hobbies, Interests, and other information

I love to windsurf and climb mountains, but does my potential employer really care? Actually, thinking about it, I’m advertising the fact that I’m going to take 2 weeks off every year with a broken leg! Keep it brief, and keep it relevant.

7. Functional CV’s

The CV should be a statement of fact. Employers want to see your career progression the impact that you made in each position. We have found that the standard chronological CV usually works best within this industry sector. Functional CV’s often make employers think that the applicant is trying to hide something and certainly prevents them from building up a good picture of the candidate!

8. References

If you’re short of space just say, “References will be made available upon request”. We can get this information later when we need it.

9. Submitting your CV

E-mail is the most effective way to move your CV to a potential employer. Documents remain in a perfect condition (think about how tatty most faxes are), delivery is immediate and costs are minimal to you, MVP, and the employer. Send the document as an attachment in Microsoft Word (most commonly used software).

10. At the end of the day …..…..

... there is no magic formula for producing the perfect CV. No matter how companies try to standardise things, every interviewer has different expectations, and every candidate is different. However, the CV is your sales brochure, and WILL have a significant impact on your career.