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How to Write a CV · Enhance.training

• 0:01
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to this Enhanced.training podcast on how to write a CV.
• 0:06
  SPEAKER_00: Enhanced.training provides online business training for busy managers, so take a look at the courses on offer and think about transforming your performance.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_00: My name is Jess Coles, and I'm taking you through this subject because I've sat as a hiring manager in over a thousand interviews.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_00: I've been through and also used to select candidates selection processes at top-tier companies such as Innocent Drinks, Fosters, EMY, and many other mid-sized businesses.
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_00: I've recruited CEOs through to junior staff, and I really want to share some of my experience to make a difference on how you write a CV.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, let's get into the podcast.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_00: So getting a new job can be a stressful and time-consuming process.
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_00: We take you through how to write a CV to help you navigate the first main hurdle in the process.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: Your CV is a document that should sell your ability to solve the employer's problem or problems.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_00: So try to approach writing your CV while thinking of the employer and what problems they would be solving by hiring you.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_00: You only have six seconds to grab the reader's attention.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_00: Six seconds.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_00: It's not a lot of time, and that's around about the average length of time a recruiter will spend looking at your CV or potentially a hiring manager.
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_00: If they've got a stack of 80 CVs, they don't have half an hour to read your CV.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_00: So that gives you six seconds to stand out from the other candidates.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_00: Therefore, what you put on your first page of your CV matters and it needs to be clear and easy to read.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_00: Make sure the key points that you want to get across stand out.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_00: We would suggest your summary contains all the key points you want to get across, and your latest job title and the company you work for are clear to see on the front page.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_00: Be really clear on your key strengths and achievements.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_00: Before you start writing your CV, we suggest you spend time thinking about what your key strengths are, your skill and your experience so far.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_00: Also think about what you like doing, and if you're happy, you'll do a better job and progress quicker.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_00: And last, think about your achievements that you can use to support the statements you make about your skills, strengths, and experience on your CV.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_00: When you have your list, prioritize them.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_00: Put your most important strengths and achievements at the top.
• 2:31
  SPEAKER_00: Doing a job that uses your strengths and what you like doing is always going to be more enjoyable and rewarding than a job that does not.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_00: We think this is one of the most important exercises so you make sure you spend enough time doing this and keep going back to the list.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_00: When thinking about how to write a CV, plan to include all your key strengths and achievements.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_00: Start at the top of your list and work down.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_00: You don't need to cover all points when writing a CV, but you do need to include the most important points.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_00: Let's talk about the length of a CV.
• 3:08
  SPEAKER_00: We'd recommend writing your CV so it takes up to two or at most three pages of A4 with a 12-point typeface.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_00: Even if you have lots of experience, don't write six pages.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_00: Cut the CV down to your most critical points and don't repeat the same points when you're planning on how to write a CV.
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_00: You've only got so much space.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_00: A recruiter will not scan more than the first page at first pass, and 80% plus of the CVs that they have will go into the reject pile at the first pass, as 80% go straight into the BIM.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_00: When a recruiter or a hiring manager does a more in-depth review, they are likely to check for specific points rather than read the whole CV.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_00: Things like qualifications or your last job title or gaps in your CV, job progression, etc.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_00: So if you make good use of a layout and section titles, this is really important to help the process because it enables them to pick up those points quickly.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_00: And when you've got over a hundred CVs to review, for instance, you don't have time to read all the pages.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_00: So let's cover what information should be on a CV.
• 4:19
  SPEAKER_00: When you write a CV, I would suggest you include the following your personal details, such as your name and contact details, and make sure the email address sounds professional.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_00: Second, include a summary.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_00: This contains the key points that you want to get across and it should address likely problems associated with the job being advertised.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_00: Thirdly, you'll want to list your work experience and put your current job first and then backwards in reverse chronological order.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_00: So you've got all the key jobs listed out in reverse order.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_00: Fourth, put your education down, make sure all your qualifications are clear and include the grades achieved.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_00: If the grades are missing, the interview assumes they're poor, so it's a bit of a balancing act.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_00: And fifth, if relevant, any hobbies or interests or other information that supports your CV, but keep this bit brief.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_00: And make sure there are no spelling mistakes or and make sure your grammar is good on your CV.
• 5:19
  SPEAKER_00: Right, let's talk about the format briefly.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_00: There are several ways to write a CV, and the most popular by country mile is the reverse chronological order.
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_00: So that's putting your current job first and then going backwards through your employment history.
• 5:33
  SPEAKER_00: So I would say most recruiters will request that if you haven't written a CV in that way.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_00: The second way of doing it is a functional skills-based CV.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_00: So you're putting your key achievements or key skills and then putting a paragraph against each one and building your CV up that way.
• 5:51
  SPEAKER_00: And thirdly, of course, you can use a combination of both of those.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_00: As I said before, I would I would recommend that you use a reverse chronological order CV.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_00: It's probably 95% of recruiters will prefer this format and it suits those with a clear and progressive job history.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_00: LinkedIn is also formatted this way and that's often checked.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_00: If you have significant gaps in your work history, a functional CV will help de-emphasise those gaps.
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_00: So that's worth considering.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_00: A lot of hiring managers also look on LinkedIn and run a Google search.
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_00: I would suggest that you try and ensure that all these approaches produce a consistent picture.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_00: Consistency inspires confidence.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_00: Let's talk about how to write a good CV.
• 6:39
  SPEAKER_00: Your CV must tell a story of all your skills and career history and how this is relevant for the job that you're applying for.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_00: Applying for publicly advertised jobs is a competitive activity and it is rare that there are no other candidates.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_00: You need to sell yourself better than the next person and solve the employer's problem or problems.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_00: To solve problems, understanding the problem is usually an important step, so think about what your employer will need to know from you.
• 7:09
  SPEAKER_00: Your CV needs to be easy to read.
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_00: Think of it as a story which highlights all your good points in an engaging way.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_00: Make sure you use sentences and well-constructed bullet points.
• 7:18
  SPEAKER_00: And avoid using jargon or sayings that are specific to one company.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_00: They may mean something to you or people in a similar functional field to you, but they won't help the recruiter or the HR hiring manager understand your story.
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_00: Keep what you write clear and concise.
• 7:37
  SPEAKER_00: You only have a small amount of space to get all your key points down with evidence to back these up.
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_00: Add one example of an achievement that proves each of your key statements.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_00: Let's go through two examples to give you an illustration of this.
• 7:53
  SPEAKER_00: The first, I am an experienced team manager and I am able to deliver through others.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_00: Or the second statement, I manage a team of 20 and have for three years.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_00: We delivered a 40% increase in revenue through five team projects that I managed and one team of the year.
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_00: Which statement has more weight and which CV would you take forward?
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_00: You can either add achievements or evidence with each point made or as a separate section.
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_00: Separate sections are a little harder to follow and match up to specific statements.
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_00: So be clear what you have achieved and what you're responsible for.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_00: Don't be tempted to embellish or make things up.
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_00: What you put on a CV will be checked through the interview and referencing process.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_00: When you're writing your CV, try and use active verbs and not passive verbs in your CV.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_00: You want to show through how you write your CV that you take responsibility and deliver results while keeping all stakeholders happy.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_00: For instance, active verbs would include drive, responsible, reliable, delivered, created, proactive, supported, trained.
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_00: Don't use passive statements or ones that suggest that you have been a passenger rather than a driver, assuming you were, of course, the driver of the project.
• 9:19
  SPEAKER_00: Try not to use generic statements or skills that are minimal requirements.
• 9:26
  SPEAKER_00: You do not have enough space to waste with general statements when you write a CV, so try to avoid them.
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_00: Some examples to avoid might include excellent communication skills.
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_00: We will hopefully demonstrate this with a clear CV that's easy to read and follow.
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_00: Goal-driven.
• 9:44
  SPEAKER_00: This is an expected skill or approach.
• 9:47
  SPEAKER_00: Flexible.
• 9:48
  SPEAKER_00: Nearly every job these days needs flexibility.
• 9:52
  SPEAKER_00: Motivated.
• 9:54
  SPEAKER_00: Well you're you should be keen on the job to apply.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_00: So we hope you're motivated.
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_00: Multitasker.
• 10:04
  SPEAKER_00: Again, I think this is a requirement of nearly every job these days.
• 10:08
  SPEAKER_00: Independent.
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_00: Well, the employer is looking for problem solvers, so independent thinking is needed.
• 10:15
  SPEAKER_00: It's a requirement.
• 10:17
  SPEAKER_00: Detail orientated.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_00: I think this is a requirement for many jobs, and there's better ways of showing this with what through what you've done rather than just stating on your CV.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_00: Self-motivated.
• 10:29
  SPEAKER_00: Again, I think this is a requirement of nearly every job these days.
• 10:34
  SPEAKER_00: Team player.
• 10:35
  SPEAKER_00: Again, a requirement of nearly every job.
• 10:38
  SPEAKER_00: Demonstrate it through your examples.
• 10:41
  SPEAKER_00: Hard working.
• 10:42
  SPEAKER_00: I would hope you demonstrate this with your experience and what you've achieved rather than stating it again on the CV.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_00: And don't use the phrase curriculum viete or CV as a title in writing the CV.
• 10:55
  SPEAKER_00: It'll be clear to all what the document is and leaving it out saves space.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_00: And final thoughts.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_00: Once you've put your draft CV together, put it down and come back to it the next day.
• 11:07
  SPEAKER_00: Review it for spelling to ensure that it's easy to read and well laid out.
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_00: Finally, amend it to add extra polish.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_00: Then get partners or friends to read it and give you feedback.
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_00: Make sure they can easily understand all the points that you've made.
• 11:22
  SPEAKER_00: When you've done this a few times, you'll have written a good general CV that reflects your experience and skills.
• 11:30
  SPEAKER_00: And finally, each job you're applying to is going to be slightly different.
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_00: So tweak your CV to better solve the problems each employer has.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_00: You can do this by adding in achievements that are more relevant, reordering the points made with the most relevant at the top of each section, and adding or changing some of the content to better demonstrate how you can solve the employer's problems.
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_00: And finally, good luck.
• 11:59
  SPEAKER_00: We hope you enjoyed our podcast on how to write a CV.
• 12:03
  SPEAKER_00: To learn more about passing interviews and getting the job that you want, visit enhance.training and check out our interview learning hub to get more free articles, podcasts, and videos on getting a job and the interview process.
• 12:17
  SPEAKER_00: And take a look at our How to Ace an interview course, specifically designed for those going for management roles.
• 12:25
  SPEAKER_00: The course will help you step change your interview performance, reduce your nerves, stress and anxiety, and give you a structured process to prepare for and pass the interviews to get the job that you want.
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for listening to this Enhanced.the Training podcast, and we look forward to hearing from you soon.