How to write a CV
Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash
Even if you’re not ‘actively looking’ for a new role you never know when you’ll need a decent CV. If you’re serious about your career, and I’m sure you are, taking time to craft your CV and keeping it updated makes sense.
And if you are on the hunt, in a recent career survey, 90% of the respondents told me that the biggest obstacle to their next step success was getting leads and getting noticed. Well, what are the chances that your CV is doing you no favours?
In this post, I’ve covered some FAQs, shared some tips and tricks, and included an accountability trick to get the darn thing done!
Why you should update your CV
If you’re on the hunt for a new job I’m sure I don’t need to go into all the benefits of a revamped CV. And if you’re not looking there’s nothing like getting it done when you’re not under pressure.
For starters, it’s a bit like giving yourself a mini-appraisal. You can see how far you’ve come and what you’ve achieved.
Also, when you give your CV an overhaul you can bring it up to speed so it represents the person you are today. So often I see CVs in a style and language that don’t represent the level the person is working at or wants to reach
It makes sense to reassess yours every six months or annually.
Don’t do this
Don’t cobble together old CVs.
A sure sign someone hasn’t been working on their professional brand is a CV with a mish-mash of old material, chunks of job description style bullet points, and cut and paste repetition. That type of CV reminds me of a badly converted house with higgledy-piggledy extensions and no planning permission – not fit for purpose and ugly.
Should I hire a professional CV writer?
That’s an option if you’re in a fix. Personally, I’m not a fan. I’ve yet to meet someone who’s happy with the one they paid for which makes me question why didn’t they do it themselves?
I’m more interested in how you position and sell yourself and I think the process of writing your own CV can help with that.
CV templates
There are loads to choose from. Don’t get distracted by pretty formats and fancy columns. They may look great but when you’re trying to ‘tweak’ the content in a hurry you’ll probably regret it.
What are the CV essentials?
Your name and contact details (obvs), an overview of your career history with companies, dates and your job titles. Your university or college information.
For each role you need an overview of what you were hired to do, reporting structure and your key achievements and results.
Jargon, buzzwords, and your entire job description are the non-essentials.
How long should a CV be?
Possibly the most frequently asked question and of course, everyone has an opinion. My advice is to focus on getting great content first then edit it down to a couple of pages (max).
Some questions to consider:
Do you need to go into so much detail about your first job 20 years ago? Does that project you did for five minutes deserve as much space on the page as that role you did for five years and was a turning point in your career? Do you need 20 points that you’ve plucked from your job description?
See where I’m going?
Your CV isn’t ‘one size fits all’ – you’ll need to tweak it for different roles. The mega versions are usually a sign of someone trying to throw everything at it.
I dare you to be bold and show your true expertise.
One-pager CV
Every senior director should have a one-page CV. It’s the ultimate teaser and something that we used in executive search to introduce ‘interesting candidates’ to our clients.
Do you need a CV in the digital world?
If you spend your job-seeking hours applying for jobs online you may wonder if your CV is a waste of paper (so to speak). But done properly the process of making one will help you sell your expertise in interviews so don’t skip it.
One client told me that “I made her CV sing”. What she really meant was that I helped her to sing about her experience.
What if I’m working with a recruiter?
If you’re being introduced or represented by a recruiter your CV will most likely be formated on their company letterhead.
You still need your own version - It’s the thought process and crafting that’s invaluable.
What’s stopping you from working on your CV?
Does this sound familiar?
You pull out a notepad and pen, sit down at your table, scratch your head
You look online, on LinkedIn and out the window for inspiration
You fancy a cup of tea and make a quick call
Thirty minutes later you’re back at your table and you’re scratching your head again
You suddenly feel the urge to tidy your sock drawer
The dog needs to go out
It’s too sunny, too noisy, too late to concentrate
I get it!
It’s a ‘put it away for another day ‘type activity but I’ve got a suggestion.
HOW TO WRITE A CV
Ok so now we’ve got to the part where you do need to sit down and write.
I’ll add some CV writing inspiration links at the end but first I want to share a trick that might help.
Nine times out of ten all you need is a bit of motivation and some accountability. Co-working or an accountability partner is good for this. Why not enlist the help of a willing friend? Or join me and a group of other people. And remember this isn’t about public job-hunting this is about writing and curating your CV which everyone should do!
This is about giving yourself the time you need to make an important professional document.
If you break the process down into chunks you’ll probably get it done in one or two sessions… until next year.
CV writing co-working session
Find a willing friend or two to do theirs too. Get this thing done and dusted.
And if you need some CV writing inspiration here are some posts that will get you started:
How to improve your CV - 31 tips to bliss
How to write a killer CV (my top tips)
How to create a CV - the pancake way! (this is a nice easy one)
And when you’re done - ask me about my CV review service!
ABOUT ME
I’m Tracy, Career Consultant, former Executive Headhunter and I help senior executives and leaders to land great jobs and be successful at work through 1:1 coaching.
I work with clients around the world from my London-based Zoom office.
If you’re ready for straight-talk and career guidance get in touch – let's start the conversation.
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