A RECRUITMENT expert has revealed the six things you need to add to your CV to boost your chances of landing an interview.
While everyone knows to list your experience, skills and education as standard, an expert has shown the things many job seekers leave out.
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Natasha Kearslake, director of HR consultancy Organic P&O Solutions, said that applicants need to change their CV in order to “fit” the job they are after.
She said the document should be like a “skeleton key” that unlocks a dream job.
Kearslake told the US Daily Mail: “There’s nothing more unloved than the CV of an employee who’s been in the same job for years – but when you need to find a new role, there’s no document more important.
“There are a few things you can add to your CV that will greatly increase your chances of getting past the first hurdle.”
Tags for AI systems
Applicant Tracking Systems are AI programs that pre-screen thousands of CVs way before any human even looks at them.
To ensure it is read by a human, first your CV has to pass the AI test.
In order to do this you have to include relevant keywords in the job description.
The more keywords you have the more likely you are to go on to the next stage.
Your CV needs to be tailored to each application with keywords specific to the job.
Don’t just send out generic CVs but make a targeted approach and use the job description as a guide to discovering what the keywords are to include.
“For instance, if a job description says, ‘Looking for a skilled marketer with a strong background in copywriting, social media and email marketing,’ you might want to use the keywords ‘marketer,’ ‘copywriting,’ ‘social media,’ and ’email marketing’ in your CV,” according to Indeed.
Clean and simple design
In the past people have used graphics and images to try to make their CV stand out but this just makes it harder for AI systems to read them.
Instead, just use a simple and clean format and avoid complex layouts and keep to using standard fonts and styles to make it easier to read.
Tailor the summary to the job
The summary section at the start of your CV is an opportunity to show why you are ideal for this particular role.
Make sure it is tailored to each job.
Kearslake said: “The recruiter should get a sense that every step you’ve taken in your career up to this point has been leading you to this specific job.”
Use the summary to set the scene and then follow up the story of your career path with various sections that back that up, highlighting your experiences and achievements.
Mention the company’s mission statement
While your personal statement or summary should talk about our passion for your field of work it should also reflect the company’s values you’re applying to.
You should research the values and mission of the company you want to work for and weave those throughout your CV.
Kearslake said: “Show that your personal and professional motivations align with the organisation’s goals.
“Use the section on hobbies or interests to show how your personal and professional life share the same ‘why’.”
What you actually did in each job
While many CVs will describe people’s positions, not many reveal what they actually did in the role.
Include what you accomplished during your time in your previous job.
Show how you improved things and what you did to meet the company’s goals.
Be specific about achievements and use numbers where possible, such as showing the percentage rise in sales, or money saved or even number of projects completed.
Don’t be shy when doing this and use “strong action verbs” to tell your story, such as “achieved,” “initiated” or “spearheaded”.
Add a ‘volunteering’ section
If there are two near-identical candidates in the running for a job, the one who has given up their time to do volunteering will always win the battle, according to Kearslake.
Show how you gained skills or honed existing ones by doing volunteer work and show how that also improved your things for you, such as better communication, leadership skills, teamwork and problem-solving.
You can also use your volunteering to show your passion for particular causes or values.
Kearslake said: “This helps humanise your resume and provides insight into your character beyond professional achievements.”
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