More experience in an advancing career (i.e. getting older) does have a significant effect on your CV. Whether you are looking to move up inside the company you are with or seeking a new job somewhere else, many people make numerous errors on creating their CV.
Most CVs of people over 40 are downright terrible. This stems from that most people simply “update” it keeping lengthy job descriptions from 20 years ago. No employer wants a 5-page resume. Professionals and managers agree, “Today, two pages are the maximum. I won’t glance at anything longer than that and neither will other recruiters. It’s counterproductive and so wasteful when printing!”
The problem is that many people just « dust off » an old CV and do not put in the hours necessary to create an effective CV that advertises their accomplishments. You have only 15 -20 seconds to capture an employer’s interest when they look at your CV. It must be impressive or you’ll get passed by. Here are some key tips to for your to consider:
Be targeted
Your CV must be targeted for the job you are applying for. Start off with an OBJECTIVE that must be in line with the job title. This should immediately catch their attention. If you choose to be broad and generic in your approach, you simply won’t get noticed.
Sell your assets
Focus on results and achievements. Hiring Managers want to know all about your accomplishments. Your CV is a stepping-stone to an interview and those that get interviews clearly demonstrate this one important message:
Actions = Results. Employers look for progressive success – and delivery of results. Accomplishments and results should be stressed. In today’s competitive marketplace, noting results that highlight your past actions and the results you’ve achieved on the job are the essential to get noticed.
What employers LOVE
Following your objective tag line add a summary of your qualification matching the job criteria. This is a high-impact section. It is one of the very first areas employers read and catches their attention and they slow down and give your application more careful consideration. Think of it a highly influential summation of the specifics you bring to the job. This section usually consists of a few sentences that present an overview of your experience, accomplishments, talents, work habits and skills. It can also be effective as bullet points.
Avoid
No text boxes, photographs, no colour ink, no designs or lines across or around the page and no tables. Most of employment software cannot read these things leaving them as blank space. And, employers HATE typos and spelling mistakes!
