by Lis McGuire | Oct 28, 2014 | CV tips, Graduate CV tips, News
In a blog about unusual CVs earlier this year, we looked at some of the more ‘off the wall’ formats people have used to bring attention to their CV and stand out from their fellow jobseekers. Generally speaking though, a highly designed, stylistic CV could be a big gamble that doesn’t pay off. The ‘classic’ CV is still in vogue with the majority of recruiters.
That’s not to say your CV doesn’t need a little pizzazz. When we talk about the ‘classic’ CV, we mean dressed to impress.
When was the last time you looked at your CV with fresh eyes? Is it looking a little tired and thrown together? Does it need a little ‘zhoosh’ to make it flow and draw the recruiter’s gaze to all the right places?
Yes? Then try these seven simple CV formatting hacks.
#1 Let your headings make a statement
Headings are a fantastic tool for signposting the content of your CV for the reader, creating obvious focal points, whether someone’s scanning the text or reading it in detail. To help your headings grab attention, format them in a clear and confident way that sets the structure for your CV.
We’d recommend doing this by having your headers in capitals and underlining them with a line that runs across the entire width of the page. Leave a line space or border below the underline to give your heading room to make a statement.
#2 Your font style matters
Style is everything when it comes to picking the right font for your CV. Although there’s no definitive font to use, it’s important to pick an easy-to-read font that looks good in print and on screen. In an article for Business News Daily in October 2013, a selection of recruiters narrowed down the top seven recommended fonts for CV writing: Arial, Calibri, Century Old Style, Garamond, Georgia, Times New Roman, or Trebuchet MS.
In most cases, a sans serif (‘without fancy’) font is a good bet because it displays well on screen and in print, whereas more stylised serif fonts like Times New Roman and Century Old Style are perhaps suited to CVs targeted at more ‘traditional’ fields.
#3 Use consistent spacing
Our eyes look for uniformity and consistency, especially when we’re reading a document like a CV. Inconsistent line spacing can jar the reader and stick out like a sore thumb, drawing attention for the wrong reasons. And if the line spacing of your CV is all over the place, it can raise a red flag about your attention to detail – not ideal for a job application.
Try to ensure that you use consistent spacing throughout your CV. We tend to use 6pt before and 6pt after. If you’re writing your CV in Microsoft Word, look for the ‘Page layout’ options where you can set the desired spacing for your document.
#4 Leave enough white space
Like a fine wine, a good CV needs space to breathe. Although you may want to cram in every last detail about your career and interests to date, it’s often the case that less is more when it comes to getting your CV seen.
Recruiters are generally time poor and faced with the enormous challenge of finding the best prospects when sifting through CVs, even if they are assisted by Applicant Tracking Software. By leaving sufficient white space, breaks between different sections and bullet points to highlight your key skills, you’re giving the recruiter the space they need to read what you’re saying and between the lines.
#5 Stay out of the margins
If you’re running short of room on your CV, you may be tempted to decrease the margins at each edge of the page to eke out every last millimetre of space. But stop… step away from ‘Page layout>Margins’ option before you do anything hasty. Having narrow, squeezed borders around your CV can make it look squashed and chaotic, whereas ‘normal’ margins of 2.54cm create a sense of calm and order that recruiters will love.
#6 Consider putting keywords in bold and using bullet points to highlight your experience
At Giraffe CVs, we certainly favour using bullet points to pull out your relevant experience and help recruiters scan the highlights of your career to date. You might also consider emphasising keywords in bold, which is another way the formatting of your CV can help the reader skim read, while still paying attention to all the most relevant points.
#7 Check it looks good on and off screen
Finally, remember to print your CV off and check it looks good on and off screen. Be alert to spacing inconsistencies, incorrect formatting, typos, margin size, and check whether there’s enough white space – these aspects are all generally easier to see in print.
How does your CV look now? Have you been committing some serious formatting faux pas or is your CV good to go? If you need help presenting your CV or getting the content right for your next job application, we’re always happy to help.
by Lis McGuire | Oct 6, 2014 | CV tips, LinkedIn tips, News
For those of you who have an up-to-date CV and powerful LinkedIn profile, it makes absolute sense to leverage the combined power of both career assets.
By referencing your LinkedIn URL on your CV, you acknowledge that the recruiter is likely to check you out on this, and other online platforms. Rather than taking a passive role in this process, you can proactively present a direct link, straight to the good stuff which supports and strengthens your job application.
Noting your LinkedIn profile on your CV is a small, yet confident, gesture that intimates that your social CV is in order, and that you are fully equipped to present your credentials and skills for the role in hand.
So, why wouldn’t you?
There are some scenarios in which I wouldn’t recommend featuring your LinkedIn URL on your CV. Here they are:
#1 You don’t have a LinkedIn profile
It stands to reason that if you don’t physically have a presence on LinkedIn, you can’t direct anyone to visit what isn’t there. If your CV is of interest, the recruiter reviewing it will inevitably type your name into the LinkedIn search bar, and find out for themselves that you are not on the platform. ‘Why not?’ they will asked themselves. They will then ponder the potential reasons.
Perhaps you don’t realise the importance of LinkedIn. Maybe you haven’t even heard of it.
Perhaps you’re unsure how to go about setting up a profile and populating it with relevant information and, therefore, have avoided using it.
Perhaps your CV is such a gross misrepresentation of your actual abilities that you wouldn’t dare to place it on a public platform, for fear of your colleagues’ guffaws.
Rather than leaving their imaginations wandering, it would be better to take charge of the situation and present a deliberate representation online.
How to address the issue: If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile, you should seriously consider getting one – the sooner the better. The platform is more than a professional version of Facebook, it’s a serious career tool that can elevate your professional profile and make those around you aware of the skills and experience you bring, and how you plan to use them next.
#2 Your LinkedIn profile isn’t up to date or aligned to this opportunity
If your LinkedIn profile has tumbleweed blowing through its various sections, or features a junior or B-side version of you, then I can see why you wouldn’t want to feature your LinkedIn URL on your CV. Check out these seven good reasons to update your LinkedIn profile– the eighth good reason would be that you can then feature the URL confidently on your CV.
How to address the issue: Aim to update LinkedIn before directing a recruiter to a confusing profile, which isn’t aligned to the content of the CV they are holding. Make sure LinkedIn reflects your CV and your aspirations. Feature appropriate skills for endorsements and secure recommendations for your best, most relevant roles. The best version of your LinkedIn profile will reflect and enhance your CV, demonstrate an effective network, and deliver social proof (via recommendations and, to a lesser extent, endorsements) that you are indeed the real deal.
#3 Your LinkedIn profile doesn’t feature any recommendations
If no one in your network is proud to stand up and be counted as someone who has worked with you and would recommend your work, then your LinkedIn profile can appear as a one-sided version of your experience, like your CV in fact. If this IS the case, then there’s little point in featuring your 2D LinkedIn profile on your 2D CV.
If, in a more likely scenario, your LinkedIn profile doesn’t feature any recommendations because you simply haven’t asked anyone to recommend you, then this is easier to rectify. Just ask them. Now. Go on, do it.
How to address the issue: The beauty of LinkedIn is that it builds your professional kudos by showing that others share your perspective of the value you can add. LinkedIn recommendations act as a case study of a particular relationship, outlining the circumstances of your mutual connection, and the reputation you have earned within that relationship. Request recommendations that support your career goals today, this recent blog on LinkedIn recommendations explains how.
#4 You only have a handful of contacts
If you aren’t really connected with anyone on LinkedIn, then your profile can appear unloved and weak. A paltry few professional contacts made up of old friends and family members won’t cut the mustard on LinkedIn.
How to address the issue: LinkedIn is a powerful tool which enables you to engage, solidify and maintain relationships with a broad range of people who make up the fabric of your professional life. Although there’s little point connecting with people you don’t really know, just for the sake of growing your network, it’s important to build relevant connections with people you’ve worked with.
Follow up with genuine contacts and past colleagues. If there really is just six degrees of separation between us all, the chances are that the more diverse and developed your network, the greater the likelihood that someone in your network knows someone else who can help you move your career or business forward.
#5 You don’t want your boss or team (who are also on LinkedIn) to find out you are looking for a new job
You may be fretting that if recruiters begin checking you out on LinkedIn, your current team may get wind of the fact that you are searching for pastures new. Here’s the reality: if you are on LinkedIn, recruiters are checking you out already. While you work, while you sleep, while you… well, you get the picture. Even if you are not on LinkedIn, people aggregators may be checking out your profiles on other platforms. It’s happening. You can either bury your head in the sand, or embrace the new dawn and use it to your advantage.
Another real concern may be that if you update your LinkedIn profile, your team will definitely sniff a job search.
How to address the issue: People will always talk but, by updating your LinkedIn profile on a regular basis, you can prevent your peers from accurately guessing your next career move, making it less obvious when you are actually looking to move on. If you update your LinkedIn as a matter of course following each new promotion or project completion, this habit will mark you out as a well-organised person (not worthy of office gossip), rather than someone who is seeking greener pastures (a frequent and much-loved topic of office gossip).
So, what’s your verdict? Will you be featuring your LinkedIn URL on the next version of your CV? If not, why not? Is your decision based on a reason outlined above, or another reason? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
by Lis McGuire | Sep 29, 2014 | CV tips, Graduate CV tips, News
Have you ever wondered how to quantify achievements on your CV?
This morning, I received an email from one of my lovely customers. I had sent her an initial draft of her new CV, along with some notes for discussion, and mentioned that it would be useful for us to work on quantifying and qualifying her achievements within her roles. I had also sent her a link to my recent blog, which explains why this process is so important.
Her reply came back, “I always get stuck with achievements on my CV. I can’t think of anything obvious that has a measurable impact on the company.”
This lady is not alone. Quantifying and qualifying achievements is a stumbling block that trips up many people when they attempt to write a CV. It can all feel too much like hard work, the CV writing equivalent of searching for the Holy Grail. Many jobseekers seriously doubt that those tangible results are there to find.
With this in mind, I thought it would be useful to put together a set of five achievement hacks. These should help you to shortcut what can be a laborious process, and avoid you sitting rubbing your chin for hours on end, getting increasingly frustrated by the minute. Here they are:
#1 Think of what you already know
Although, initially, you may not think of them, you will already have some facts and figures firmly in your grasp, ready to be noted on your CV.
For example:When talking about your team, quantify the size of the team. Say that you lead XX people, and note their job titles. If you have played a key role in growing the team, indicate the level of team expansion, from X to X employees, in what defined period of time.You could go on to say what the impact of this expansion was for your employer – how did they leverage that enhanced people power? Did the increased resources allow them to secure more customers (how many?), increase revenue (by how much?), or diversify their service offering (what’s new?)?
If you manage a client account, how have you developed that relationship? Have you retained the account within a competitive market? If so, how many times has the contract been renewed? What is the revenue and profit from the account? Have you increased these figures? Have you leveraged the relationship to position your employer for new work with other respected clients? Again, how many? How much?
Even if this data is not quite at your fingertips, ready to slot into your CV, it should be relatively easy to gather and leverage to illustrate your value.
#2 Look at the data that is already available
If you are lacking inspiration, one place to find it is within the public domain, placed there by your company. Whether you peruse the company website, marketing brochure, social media sites, or annual report, you should find plenty of quantified achievements which your employer wants to sing from the rooftops. Although these may be on a larger scale than you can claim to have delivered, track it back and think about what you have specifically delivered that has supported the achievement of these more grandiose accomplishments.
#3 Consider your employer’s ‘pain point’ that enticed them to hire you
You were recruited for a reason, not just to expand the workforce. What was that reason? What were you employed to do? What problem did your recruitment aim to solve? Look back at the job advert if you still have it, or your job description for inspiration.
Or, if you can’t lay your hands on these documents, consider the reason you were employed. I don’t mean to simply replace the last person who carried out you role. What would have happened if the company hadn’t replaced your predecessor? Who would have taken on those responsibilities? Would these extra tasks have decreased this team member’s bandwidth for other important work? What would the results have been?
Once you have that reason firmly in mind, think about the work you have done to move towards that goal, and try to quantify it. For example, if you work in recruitment, perhaps your remit was to develop a talent pool full of pre-qualified candidates to shorten the recruitment process, ensure that managers could select appropriately skilled individuals, and facilitate achievement of their goals. Think of the numbers involved – how many people have you sourced and interviewed? How many have you hired?
#4 Revisit your last appraisal
In today’s cut-and-thrust world, most employees are targeted and monitored to within an inch of their lives – it’s not enough to have a general sense that you are a good egg, or that you are achieving. Your input and results are likely to be be targeted, assessed, quantified, and graded on a company-wide and closely monitored scale. Although this may feel like a lot of pressure on a day-to-day basis whilst you are at work, it is good news for your CV. Revisit your last appraisal. The results of what you are doing, and how far you have come, should be there, plain and clear for all to see.
#5 Get specific
If quantifiable achievements for your role as a whole are proving to be elusive, then think about a specific project you have worked on. What was the objective? What was the budget? The timeframe? The size of the team? Who did you interact with, internally and externally? Did you achieve the objective? What was the result to the company, in the short and long term?
If you take a handful of projects like this and quantify and qualify them, then before you know it, your CV will have the depth and substance you are looking for.
I lay down the gauntlet.
Pick up your CV where you last left it, and put some meat on the bones. If you do, you’ll take it from a boring 2D summary to a dynamic 3D promise.
In a nutshell, you are looking to quantify your achievements to add meaningful substance to your CV, and expressing these through numbers makes it easier for recruiters and prospective employers to pick out relevant information, as numbers often speak for themselves.
by Lis McGuire | Aug 18, 2014 | CV tips, News
A common question raised by my customers is ‘When can I patch up my CV and when do I really need to go back to the drawing board?’ Sometimes a quick CV update will suffice, but more often that not a comprehensive rewrite is a better approach to ensure their CV really serves their needs. Read on to discover when to choose either a quick fix or a total overhaul when refreshing your CV.
Willington Street, the main access road to my home office, is finally undergoing an extensive repair programme. The local council is investing £1.2M over the next 12 months to reconstruct and resurface the well-used road. The plan is to carry out the work in three distinct phases, sectioning off parts of the road at a time to carry out these much-needed repairs.
Kent County Council have outlined with pride their plans to: grind off the top layer of the road; repair the lower layers of the road; sweep with a mechanical sweeper to remove dust and debris; lay a strengthening membrane; adjust all manhole covers and drains; lay the new road surface and finally repaint all the road markings. Sounds comprehensive, doesn’t it?
Despite the considerable disruption to residents and regular users of the road, in the long run the benefit of a properly constructed, strong and smooth road surface will be well worth the short-term inconvenience. Having myself sacrificed more than a handful of low profile tyres courtesy of the street’s potholes, I, for one, can’t wait for the new surface. I drive a Skoda, but the bill has still made me wince.
You may be wondering why I am writing about local highway improvements rather than CVs or related job search topics. The long-awaited resurfacing of Willington Street got me thinking about how people update their CV, and the effectiveness of a quick update (think pothole repair) versus a total reconstruction (think resurfacing). A quick update of your CV here or there is, of course, better than no update at all. There is no substitute, however, for a complete, thorough job every once in a while.
Follow the guidance below to establish when you can just fill in the potholes and when you really should lay a whole new surface.
When you can quickly update or patch up your CV
For me, a quick CV update is perfectly acceptable when you are adding something to your CV that doesn’t have a major knock-on effect on other parts of your CV.
A quick update is perfectly acceptable when you are adding detail that isn’t game-changing in terms of how you define yourself and your overall career goals. If what you are adding is a natural extension of your career goals, as they are already implied and stated on your CV, then an update is fine.
If, for example, you are adding details of a professional qualification that complements your existing skills, experience and qualifications, then an update is fine. If you are adding details of a new project to your description of your current role, then an update is fine. If you are adding details of a new skill or area of responsibility that enhances, but doesn’t dramatically alter, your career target or overall positioning statement, then an update is fine.
Two signs your CV needs extensive reconstruction
The problem is that, as with pothole repairs on an existing road, once you’ve done a few, your CV does seem to be a different document and doesn’t have the same seamless appeal that it did when you first wrote it. As time goes on and things change for you professionally and personally, your CV content will no doubt change as well. It’s only natural. Before you know it, three to 10 updates later, your CV may be looking more like a patchwork quilt than a vehicle designed to take your career from A to B.
Here are two telling signs that you need to stop with the quick fixes and invest in a comprehensive overhaul of your CV:
1. What you do has fundamentally changed since you last wrote your CV. If you are working in a new role, secured through an internal transfer or promotion or external career move, your CV will require a complete overhaul. Your CV’s job is to position you for future moves, rather than ones that have already happened.
2. What you want has fundamentally changed since you last wrote your CV. If your goals have changed, then your CV needs to change too to reflect your new aspirations. If you don’t tell the recruiter what you want, then how are they supposed to know? It may be that you are seeking a change of role, change of industry or even change of lifestyle – whichever, your CV should make your goals heard, loud and clear.
When did you last update your CV? Was it a quick fix or a thorough job?
For a smoother ride from job A to job B, it’s worth taking the time to reconstruct your CV instead of doing a patch job and just filling in the potholes. As with the road repairs outside my home office, it could be disruptive, inconvenient and time-consuming, but your CV will end up stronger, slicker and more meaningful.
by Lis McGuire | Jul 28, 2014 | CV tips, Graduate CV tips, News, Social media for your job search
It’s my birthday this week, and how better to celebrate it than by sharing my very own prezumé!
A while ago on the blog, Giraffe CVs examined unusual CVs coming soon to a job hunt near you, discussing some creative methods that jobseekers are using to ensure their applications stand out from the crowd.
It got me thinking about creating my very own, not because I’m looking for a job (I’m very happy in mine), but because (a) I thought it would be fun and (b) it might provide a useful reference point for jobseekers seeking to inject a bit of creativity into their job search. Although the idea to produce a creative CV of my own had been burning in the background for some time, I should credit an inspirational jobseeker, Paul Duxbury, who inspired me to action with his own recent prezumé. Thanks Paul!
‘What IS a prezumé?’ I hear you asking.
A prezumé is a combination of a Prezi presentation and a resume. As Prezi explains here, the prezumé was born by chance, as jobseekers sought a different visual medium to showcase their credentials.
How is a prezumé similar to a traditional CV?
Both need to provide the information that a recruiter is looking for, essentially giving them the reason(s) why they should call you up today and request an interview.
Consider a prezumé as a movie trailer to your CV, it should highlight the key messages you want to get across to a target recruiter and leave them wanting to find out more by reading the full feature.
How is a prezumé different from a traditional CV?
The great thing about a prezumé, along with other creative CVs, is that it provides jobseekers with the opportunity to showcase their personality alongside their skills and experience.
In my view, a creative CV shouldn’t just replicate your formal CV or LinkedIn profile. The medium presents an opportunity to get funky, tell a story and really engage your target audience.
How to get started with a prezumé
Prezi provides a selection of three helpful templates to suit different tastes and targets. These present a great easy way to get started. You can even mix and match template components using the My Collection feature, customising your structure and look for a unique deliverable.
I had a quick look at the templates, but decided to create my own blank Prezi. Here’s how I did it:
1. I decided on the key points I wanted to include in my prezumé and thought about how to present them in a way that would engage the reader
2. I developed a logical structure for my story
3. I sourced great images to bring my messages to life, using Dollar Photo Club
4. I pulled together my slides in PicMonkey – I love their fonts and features
5. I imported all my finished images slides to PowerPoint
6. I uploaded my PowerPoint to Prezi
7. I shared with a very select group to gauge their reactions then decided to go live!
Prezi have shared some handy hints for an awesome Prezi here.
Would I recommend using a prezumé in your job search?
In some contexts, it just might work! The new trends in CV writing are unlikely to replace traditional CVs in the short term, but they can definitely complement them. They’re good for grabbing attention in the right context and showing off some highlights, although the wackier versions are certainly only for the brave and bold.
There is an inherent risk with any kind of creative CV, that what looks and feels great to you may alienate the recruiter (remember, these are busy people for whom time is of the essence). There’s also a chance that design features on your CV could distract from your key message.
It’s all about knowing your audience and hitting the right tone.
by Lis McGuire | Jun 17, 2014 | CV tips, News
If someone mentioned keywords to you, would you know what they are? Do you have a vague inkling that they’re related to websites and search engine optimisation or are you aware that they’re essential to the job hunting process?
It’s safe to say that keywords are no longer confined to the concern of web developers and businesses hoping to rank well on Google. Keywords are now essential to the success of your CV.
What are keywords?
As with search engine optimisation, keywords are essentially the words people are most likely to use to search for content on a specific topic. In the recruitment world, this means the words recruiters will use to search their database or Applicant Tracking System (ATS) for CVs that are most relevant to a job vacancy.
This means that every vacancy will have different keywords.
Why are keywords important to your CV?
According to a recent report by ERE, the average job attracts approximately 250 CVs, giving recruiters just six seconds to decide which go into the ‘potential’ pile and which are rejected outright. These days, it’s estimated that 70% of Fortune 1000 companies use Applicant Tracking Systems to scan and select relevant CVs.
For these tracking systems to be effective, recruiters will search for specific keywords to see which candidates the tracking system selects. If you don’t have the right keywords in your CV, it simply won’t be seen, ending your application before you’ve had a chance to demonstrate your suitability.
How do you know which keywords to use?
There are several things you can do to identify the best keywords for your CV. Start with the job advertisement and job description.
For example, imagine a job ad for a ‘PA/Team Coordinator for Top Global Media Agency’ – the job description mentions the job title several times and stresses that experience in the media would be ideal. It also specifically mentions typing speed (55wpm), Word, Excel and PowerPoint, while diary management is listed several times in the list of desirable skills and job description.
It’s safe to say that ‘PA’, ‘Team Coordinator’ and ‘Media’ are all keywords for this vacancy. The recruiter is also likely to search for the software packages and skills highlighted as essential experience.
If you’re still not sure about which keywords to use, you should also look at other job advertisements in your area of expertise. Are there words they all use to describe the role? Are there two different words that mean the same thing, e.g. online marketing or digital marketing? The popular job website, Indeed, features a handy Job Trends tool, which you can use to search for the latest vacancy trends and see which keywords are the most popular.
How should you use keywords in your CV?
Let’s start with how not to use them! If you’re thinking of stuffing your CV full of keywords to get it found by Applicant Tracking Systems, stop now. Keyword stuffing used to be how SEO specialists trumped search engine algorithms but it soon became clear that this made for a pretty dismal reading experience for web users. Your CV is no different. It’s essential to remember that it will be read by a human being once the ATS has done its work. For this reason, make your CV readable, engaging and relevant.
When it comes to keywords, use them frequently and strategically.
You might want to try the following:
Use keywords in your CVs headings, e.g. Personal Profile: PA & Team Coordinator with Global Media background
Add keywords to the skills section of your CV, e.g. Typing speed 55wpm, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, diary management
Think about putting your keywords in bold. During the early selection stages, the recruiter may skim read your CV looking for clear indicators that you match their requirements. Putting text in bold means it will stand out at a glance
Mirror the wording of the job advertisement in your CV and covering letter – job advertisements need to be sharp and to the point, so the words they include are there for a reason
Use industry-specific words – if there are several variations, use them all if you can
Tailor your CV to the job instead of sending a generic ‘catch all’ version that catches the attention of no-one
If you’re hoping to change careers, it’s still important to choose the keywords that are relevant to your targeted sector rather than your previous career
Use action words such as ‘led’, ‘achieved’, ‘optimised’, ‘maximised’ to make your CV more dynamic
Where possible, give examples of your achievements, e.g. instead of saying that you have ‘excellent written communication skills’, you could say that you ‘Transformed the company’s dry and unappealing newsletter to make it reflect the dynamic direction of the business, leading to more than 1,000 sign ups to the mailing list in just four weeks’
If you’re still not sure which keywords to use, you might want to think about getting a second opinion from a friend, colleague or professional CV writing services like Giraffe CVs. If you would like to know more about how keywords might be affecting your job search and what you can do to optimise your CV, we’re always happy to help.
