To be honest, after over 15 years of writing a monthly blog, I've covered most topics more than once. There isn't so much new material in the world of recruitment unless of course I get into automation - tracking systems and using AI etc. Regular readers will remember that I'm not fond of robotic recruitment - much keener on the personal touch!
Anyway. I have seen a few recruiters recently discussing the usefulness of CVs and whether they are a bit out-dated. Reasonably regularly, I have candidates ask me to 'just have a look at me on LinkedIn'. Sheesh, if you've got time to curate a LinkedIn profile, you've got time to transpose something similar into a word document.
A recruiter friend said recently that 'the CV is the trailer to the film'. I quite liked that. I definitely don't think a CV needs to be War and Peace but I do think having a two sided document which highlights your career history and strengths is something that will support your applications and you should also be tailoring it specifically for different opportunities. A good generic CV can easily be moulded to ensure you have the best possible chance of an interview by making it relevant to the role (s) you are applying for.
In spite of working in the creative sector, I'm not a fan of 'creative CVs'. They don't always work. There are plenty of templates available online so you can easily find a structure that works for you and then essentially fill in the gaps. A good 'profile' needs to give a succinct summary of you and what you are looking for. Then your career history with most recent first. Ensuring your education is in there together with any professional qualifications. Include dates - omission of dates is a red flag to hiring managers. Yes you can include some interests but steer clear of anything upon which you'll be judged. I prefer no photo but it's subjective.
A good CV can be created in a couple of hours and you definitely don't need to hire a professional or pay money for it. Try to avoid just linking words together - e.g. Professional, hard working and results oriented Marketer. Strategic and hands on, team player, able to work autonomously - it's just a bit blah. Put your strengths in context.
I'm always happy to give constructive advice on CVs. Make sure that if you are updating an old CV that you check your tenses and dates. Definitely make sure there are no typos. Lack of attention to detail is another hiring manager red flag so check, check and check again.
I'm less supportive of covering letters. Mainly because I've never really seen a good one. I've seen far too many addressed badly, to the wrong person, copied and pasted from a different application for a completely different job and frankly, at that point, you might be better off not bothering. If you're going to do one and/or the advertisement asks for one - do it well and make sure it is tailored to the opportunity.
Written by Fiona, 15 February 2024.