There is no doubt that it is tough out there in the job market. So how, when competition is stiff and considerable, do you make your CV stand out from the rest on the recruiters desk?
So have you been putting our CV through its paces and getting your house in order on LinkedIn? Well bad news because it seem that recruiters look at a CV for only five to seven seconds before they make the decision of whether or not they are going to put it on the ‘maybe’ pile – or in the bin!
Some of the most off putting things for a recruiter will be a badly laid out CV, or one that has spelling or grammar mistakes. Another easily spotted off-putting feature is those porkies that have been slipped in. One person claimed to have 25 years of professional experience and he was only 32 years old, and another said he was an Olympic medalist…he wasn’t! Don’t do it. And in Ireland although we might like to think we can do better, recruiters say that two thirds of employers have spotted porkies in the CV pile.
So what is the best way to get noticed for the right reasons? A photo is something that will get you a 14 per cent better chance of making it onto the short list. If you have done any volunteer work, that is looked upon favorably too. In fact recruiters look upon this as favorably as they do work experience.
Keep the jargon out of it. Give your CV to someone older than you to read. If they can’t understand it then you have used too much jargon. In summary your CV should be simple, open, honest and should show that you are dedicated and prepared to work for nothing if you volunteer or do work experience. And don’t forget that photo!