Job Description
A well-written CV is one thing, but using it in every application is another. It is unlikely to thrive in the competitive job market. You’ve heard that before you click the submit button, you need to tailor your application for a specific role, but what does it mean?
Mercy recently emailed me that she has been applying for administrative roles but has never been called for interviews. I asked her to walk me through her application process, and she was open to admitting that she has a ready-made CV to ease her application when she comes across a role slightly similar to what she wants. That was a great mistake; using a generic CV when applying for all the roles is something hiring managers frown upon.
Let me be honest with you, Mercy’s story is more common than you’d think. Many talented professionals walk through our doors, wondering why they are not getting any interviews, yet recycle their CVs for each role. She sat down with CV experts, and they broke down what needed to be changed.
Here are 5 tips that helped Mercy finally get that executive role.
1. Elaborate on Your Employment Background
Your work history is more than just a list of former jobs you had. It is the story of how you have evolved. And to tell a good story, you need to have structure. When Mercy brought her CV in to be reviewed, she had chronologically listed her roles from her first job forward. This made it so hard for recruiters to find her most recent position.
To clarify your work history, begin with the most recent experience for the employer to follow your career path and how you have progressed.
Use numbers to illustrate your achievements and make it easy for the employer to understand the scope of your experience by including a detailed description of your responsibilities.
Connect with what the employer is looking for by focusing on the skills and experience that are relevant to the job.
2. Go Big Early
The idea of making a great impression to grab the attention of the employer from the beginning is commonly used in the context of CV writing. A job-winning CV demonstrates your value from the start, and this can be achieved by having a clear and concise resume format.
Have an updated CV that hooks the interest of the employer immediately after they start reading it. Use the bullet points, clear headings, the right font, and correct spacing to be visually appealing and make you stand out. The recruiter does not have too much time to spend on one CV, so make yours the one that stands out.
3. Focus On the Leadership Abilities
Since you are applying for a senior role, it is vital to prove your leadership capabilities by highlighting your experiences, using action verbs like led, managed, and supervised, showing how you made strategic decisions, presented your ideas, and solved problems.
If you initiated the changes, show how you adapted, how you navigated through the challenges, and the lessons you picked from that experience.
4. Make Your Experience Fit
Before you apply for any job, it is important to read through the job description carefully to understand the needs of the employer.
Research the company to learn how you can fit into its culture and customise it to show that you understand the company’s values.
Have a great CV that is modified to highlight the experiences and skills that are relevant to the job you are applying for.
One of the mistakes that Mercy made was using the same documents to apply for all the roles, forgetting to identify the relevant experience needed by each company.
5. Make Every Word Impactful
If you want to have a professional CV, it’s vital to make every word count by creating an impact and using the right language.
Correctly use the key industry keywords used in the job description to ensure your CV is relevant, and make it ATS-compliant to increase the chances of getting to a yes pile. Focus on the results you achieved in your previous roles and the value you contributed by using specific examples.
Final Thoughts
Taking time to customize a CV to fit every role can be frustrating and time-consuming, but it is worth it. It enhances your suitability and represents your skills well to ensure you get shortlisted and ultimately secure the job. Mercy’s new CV reflected her capability to take on leadership roles; she became a manager with the first role she applied to.
If you are having a challenge modifying your CV, click here now to learn more about our professional CV writing serviceand get the document that will open those interview doors.
The post The Smart Way to Tailor Your CV: A Step-by-Step Guide for Executive Roles appeared first on Corporate Staffing Services.