Writing your own CV often engenders a slight-to-moderate ‘cringe factor’, a feeling that it goes against the very grain of your being to ‘big yourself up’ or self-proclaim your skills, experience and achievements.
The popular refrain to this sentiment is, ‘If you don’t say it, then who will?’
True enough. However, for many, it doesn’t serve to justify the self-promotion that is part and parcel of CV writing.
This week’s blog provides seven modesty-busting strategies for writing your own CV.
I hope these points will give you a new way to think about writing your CV and make the whole process sit easier with your conscience.
#1: Imagine you are a CV writer
Many of us have a self-deprecating streak a mile wide, making it nigh on impossible to write about our own skills and experience in a positive, impartial and alluring manner which will entice a target recruiter to call us up.
One strategy is to imagine you are actually writing a CV for someone else who demonstrates the same experience, skillset and potential as yourself. Ask yourself: If I was writing this about someone else in my peer group, would it seem relevant and justifiable? See? No cringe factor!
Remove yourself from your inner dialogue (Am I good enough? Can I really justify this? How embarrassing IS this process?), and consider your CV content from an impartial angle. You’ll be surprised how it starts to flow.
#2: If you done it, it ain’t bragging
As American poet, essayist and journalist Walter “Walt” Whitman famously said, “If you done it, it ain’t bragging.” When writing about your experience and achievements for your CV, consider the following:
Is it true?
Can I back it up?
Would my peers agree that I have experience in this area?
Would my colleague at the same level as me have any problem stating this on his/her CV when updating his/her CV?
(I doubt it!)
#3: Draw factual inspiration
If you are floundering for what to say on your CV, why not consult existing collateral such as past appraisal documents, case studies, client proposals, etc.? These may include references to your achievements and outline your contribution to each distinct job role.
#4: Show and tell
Determine what qualities, skills and experience your target recruiter needs to see, then work out a set of credible examples to back up your claims. Quantify statements, wherever possible, to give depth to your 
assertions.
Considering your online presence for a moment, LinkedIn recommendations are a great way to enhance your credibility. By requesting and featuring recommendations on your LinkedIn profile, you can showcase your contribution and reputation. In a similar way, using LinkedIn’s projects feature, you can link with other professionals within your network who have worked on the same initiatives, validating your CV.
#5: Always look on the bright side of life
Some of my customers are hesitant about including key projects because the projects didn’t come to fruition, often for reasons beyond their control. I always tell them to look on the bright side and ask, ‘What did YOU do?’
The initiative may have been called off, but their involvement and contribution remained the same, whether they established the project in its early stages or gathered data which informed a senior level decision to call the whole thing off.
#6: Don’t hide behind what ‘we’ did
Users of our free CV review service often hide behind group activities to lessen the ‘cringe factor’ of writing about their own experience and achievements.
We say to them, ‘Hey, you, come out from behind there.’
State simply what YOU did – that’s what the recruiter wants to see.
#7: Seek help from a professional CV writer
There’s a lot to be said for letting a professional get down to the nitty gritty of writing your CV. To set the record straight – I’m not any sort of sycophant. It’s not in my nature to give undeserved compliments, whether to friends, family or my customers. I just tell it as I see it.
One of my recent customers summed it up perfectly when he said, “CV writing is a task where the formulation of thoughts about oneself does not necessarily come easily and modesty usually prevails.” Appointing an impartial professional CV writer can make all the difference.
Lis McGuire
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