by Lis McGuire | Jun 23, 2013 | Career change tips, CV tips, News
Photo by Gemma McGuire
Finding a new job can seem like a daunting and even overwhelming prospect when you are currently out of work.
In our experience, a lack of self-confidence is the biggest single hurdle in achieving new employment after a career break. Many of our customers, who are returning to work after a break, no longer believe in their own abilities and find it hard to see what they can offer to a new employer. It is easy to get bogged down in explaining away several years out of the workplace, focusing on making excuses rather than drawing out the positive.
Let’s liken these inner demons to the troll who lives under the bridge in the tale of the Three Billy Goats Gruff. You can either listen to your doubts, or charge them down like the third goat in the story, who crosses the bridge and gains access to the greener grass beyond.
Whether you have taken a short or extended career break, have recently been made redundant or have been unemployed for a while, a well written and well presented CV is an essential tool to raise your confidence and get you back to work.
So, how should you best go about writing one?
Sink or swim
The most important thing to bear in mind when writing any CV is that it needs to demonstrate how you meet the requirements of the role. Imagine the recruiter sitting with a checklist in one hand and your CV in another.
Does your CV make it easy for them to tick off their list?
Does it demonstrate you are able and willing to do the job?
If you write your CV with the recruiter’s needs in mind, you will be one step further to ensuring your CV is shortlisted.
Be buoyant about what you achieved before your career break
Although you have taken time out from your career, don’t be tempted to undersell your experience and skill base. Be proud of what you have achieved so far and make sure this comes across in a positive way on your CV. You may be more experienced than other candidates applying for a desired role, even though your experience isn’t totally current.
A good tactic is to imagine that you are actually still in your last role and draw on that positivity to make your skills and achievements stand out loud and proud. If your last relevant role was a few years ago, and you’ve had other jobs in between, you could present your most relevant experience up front, on the first page, with a ‘Relevant Experience’ section and one on ‘Other Experience’ to follow.
Be buoyant about the skills and experience you gained through your career break
A career break can be a very positive experience which enhances your CV.
Before you begin writing your CV, take some time out to consider the transferable knowledge and experience you have developed during a career break, which would be appealing to a potential employer.
Desirable workplace competencies such as organisation, administrative skills, marketing, fundraising, event organisation and team work can be developed through voluntary roles, personal projects, travel experiences and outside interests.
Whether you’ve been a member of a PTA committee, have an active involvement in local community events or have recently returned from a personal travel experience, you will have used a number of skills which may be relevant to your desired job.
It is essential to look objectively at what you have achieved, draw out the skills which are relevant to your desired job or sector, and present your message in a clear way to maximise your chances of selection.
Recognise what you have to offer and then SELL IT!
Don’t burn your bridges by using ambiguous explanations
It is important to be clear about the reasons for your career break. A cloak and dagger approach could leave the recruiter’s imagination running wild with potential reasons for your leave of absence, with ‘detention at Her Majesty’s pleasure’ among the possibilities that spring to mind. With a pile of applications to evaluate, recruiters are likely to discard any CVs that raise questions and hint at issues in favour of those that read like an open book and tick all the boxes.
If you are currently unemployed and seeking a return to work, one option is to outline your career break in your Objective section, to be included straight after your Profile. For example:
Having enjoyed a rewarding career break during which I took time out to look after my children, I am now seeking a new and challenging role to recommence my career. I am keen to use the highly transferable skills and experience I have developed through my career to date and through various voluntary activities.
If your career break was a while ago, you can simply list it in one line as part of your employment history. There’s no need to make a song and dance about something that can now be considered as ‘water under the bridge’ – long winded explanations can lead you to dig holes that are hard to climb out of.
A simple and clear one-line explanation is best. Further explanation may be required at interview, but the purpose of the CV is to pique the reader’s interest sufficiently that they want to find out more.
Further explanation?
Well – you can cross that bridge when you come to it.
by Lis McGuire | Jun 13, 2013 | News, Working with a CV writer
I’m Lis McGuire, founder of Giraffe CVs. I’d like to share my personal story of how it all started.
The torch that lit the flame
A few years after leaving university, I worked for French Thornton, a niche London-based management consultancy. The partners agreed to sponsor me to study for some marketing qualifications and, not long after I started my course, one of the founding partners gave me Charles Handy’s The New Alchemists as a Christmas gift.
Inside he wrote:
I was inspired by his message, and though I didn’t think of starting my own business for another few years, you could say it was the torch that lit the flame.
My decision to set up on my own came once I had my first son. At that time, I was working for CH2M Hill and commuting to Earls Court, London from Maidstone. With a two-hour commute door-to-door, it just wasn’t feasible to continue, so I decided to leave my job and start up on my own.
I had written CVs throughout my working life: team CVs for consultancy staff; CVs for inclusion in $multi-million proposals; and CVs for friends who asked me for help. Making this into my own business seemed a logical next step.
How did the name come about?
I’m often asked ‘Why Giraffe CVs?’ I always thought an animal name would work as animal names have character, are easy to remember and they encourage customers to connect.
Drawing inspiration from my son’s nursery wallpaper, I considered Lion CVs, Elephant CVs and Zebra CVs. Though Zebra CVs nearly made the grade, I liked giraffes better and Giraffe CVs was born.
This turned out to be a great decision. Many of my customers are drawn to the website because they love giraffes – giraffes have personality. Every week, a new customer will ring me and the first thing they say will be ‘I need a new CV’ and the second will be ‘I love giraffes.’
In the early years, my marketing drew inspiration from the animal theme with messages including:
“Why let the monkeys get all the top jobs?”
“Are you missing out on the juicier leaves in the job market?”
Last year, I came up with a new strapline ‘Aim High, Stand Tall, Get Spotted’ which I feel encapsulates the purpose of my business whilst reflecting the qualities of the giraffe.
Growing from small to tall
Starting small allowed me to build my brand on the merits of the service I delivered, and this has paid dividends over the years. In fact, many customers from that first year of trading are still my customers now.
It is incredibly rewarding to witness the individual success of those who strive to improve their career prospects through hard work, training, seizing opportunities presented and, of course, a great CV.
Following my loyal customers’ progression has been a real pleasure, and each new promotion and career move has resulted in repeat business for Giraffe CVs.
Many are keen to recommend my services to friends and family members, and I recognise my duty to repay the recommendation by living up to expectations.
by Lis McGuire | May 19, 2013 | News, Spoof CVs
Giraffe CVs specialise in writing CVs for entrepreneurs, positioning them carefully for their next contract or an employed role.
Even Del Boy could get a new job with the right CV, as we’ve shown with this special Derek Trotter CV for Only Fools and Horses fans. Bonnet de douche.
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by Lis McGuire | May 8, 2013 | Career change tips, CV tips, Graduate CV tips, News
Getting the headlines right can often cause headaches. If you are experiencing difficulty in deciding what to say in your CV profile then read on….
As a starting point, try the following exercise. Set your CV to one side and sit with a friend or family member, someone you feel confident and comfortable with. Set a five minute limit and describe to your companion the key points that encapsulate the value you can add to your target organisation. Talk from the heart about your experience and skills – you may be surprised at what you come up with. Whatever you say can be refined to serve as your CV profile, allowing you to quickly and clearly sum up what you have to offer a target organisation.
A punchy and well-written CV profile at the very start of your document will summarise your value proposition in a nutshell – the kind of job you do, the breadth of your experience, key qualifications that will stand you apart from others, the industries you serve, the key skills you use to perform these roles – these are all things the employer will want to know. They can be wrapped up in five or six sentences at the top to let the recruiter know that you meet their criteria.
Your CV profile should leave your target employer with no doubts about who you are and what value you can add to their organisation.
As an example:
I am a professional CV writer with over 15 years of experience gained delivering interview-winning CVs for individuals at various stages of their careers. Supporting clients from a wide range of roles and industry sectors, I meticulously research career goals, experience, achievements and transferable skills to present a compelling reflection of what each client has to offer. I offer a highly personalised service and work with clients on a one-to-one basis to achieve the best possible results.
There is no set formula for the perfect profile, but originality and sincerity are certainly key ingredients. Make sure your profile reflects you as an individual and that you are comfortable speaking the words, as well as, presenting them in a written format. If you believe in your words then you have a good chance of others believing in you.
