John Middleton - High impact CVs: 52 brilliant ideas for making your résumé sensational

Copyright The Infinite Ideas Company Limited, 2005, 2007

The right of John Middleton to be identified as the author of this book has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

First published in 2005, second edition 2007 by

The Infinite Ideas Company Limited

36 St Giles

Oxford

OX1 3LD

United Kingdom

www.infideas.com

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ISBN 978-1-905940-11-0

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Brilliant ideas

High impact CVs reflect precisely what youre looking to achieve from your career. So, before putting pen to paper, consider what you want from the work you do.

Take a trip down memory lane and use the past as your starting point for a brand new CV.

The two-page CV has become the Microsoft Windows of job-hunting. Its not about it being The best format, its just the one that everybody uses. So, just how important is size?

On average, it takes eight seconds to decide whether to continue reading a CV or to bin it. Heres how to capture and keep the readers attention in those first vital moments.

Present employers with a profile statement that sums up your proposition concisely.

The two main types of CV in circulation are the reverse chronological and the functional They can both work extremely well, but which to use when?

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The title may well remind you of a certain catchy song from the 1970s, but D.I.Y.C.V. actually has a very contemporary message.

Score points with the reader for every line of your CV and concentrate on identifying your high value content.

Devise a good tracking system vital for when youve a number of job search activities on the go.

Use your CV as a tool to illustrate your competencies and youll really impress the recruiters.

How to interpret job advertisements and ensure your CV reflects whats required.

The better you understand your target company, the more targeted you can make your CV. Which is why youd be wise to find out as much as possible about your next potential employer.

Resist the temptation to sex up the content of your CV.

How to impress by numbers, using sales figures, savings, turnaround times and other relevant metrics.

An impressive job description doesnt necessarily mean youre good at what you do. Far more meaningful is a substantial record of personal achievements.

Lets look at some ways to cut a linguistic dash and make a great impression.

Sometimes best practice is about the things we do; sometimes its more about the things we dont do

Content is obviously important but so is presentation so take the time to get it right.

Inside information on how to produce a tailor-made CV for each application.

Want to know how to mind the gaps in your CV or a track record thatd qualify you for membership of Job-hoppers Anonymous?

Redundancy isnt the show-stopper it once was, but you still need to be careful how you convey this news to an interviewer.

It is possible to convey a one-company career to your advantage without suggesting that youre boring or lacking in ambition (even if you are).

When it comes to work, simply being there isnt enough. We need to achieve some good outcomes for the company at the same time.

Its said that actors are only as good as their last performance. Rather alarmingly, the same principle applies in corporate life, meaning much of your experience is already past its sell-by date.

Dont let your CV become an acronym for Characterless Verbalese. Instead, use positive, active language to convey enthusiasm and make yourself (even) more interesting.

Is it better to disclose your date of birth or to keep it under your hat?

An interviewer can legitimately quote anything in your CV back at you. So, I suggest you use the name you want to be called by.

Do personal interests impress recruiters? They can do, particularly if you think carefully about the mix you choose to outline.

OK, so you want to get noticed but you also want that interview so dont want to go over the top in terms of wackiness. Heres what you need to know

Always popular in the public and voluntary sectors, private companies are increasingly using application forms as a way of acquiring behavioural information about candidates.

A reminder that job searching has gone digital.

CVs that work here wont necessarily work elsewhere. Be sure to arm yourself with a pond-crossing, stateside stunner of a rsum.

A top-notch covering letter can be viewed as either essential or totally unnecessary and weve no way of knowing which is the case.

The lowdown on what recruiters say will push their buttons and what will get on their nerves.

Avoid giving details of your salary in your CV. If youre specifically asked to do so, however, here are some tips on how to go about it.

Im sure you can rustle up two people who would write something vaguely complimentary about you. Even so, manage the process, dont leave it to chance.

Life can be cruel. Shortlisted candidates can be demoted to the reserve list if they cannot be reached by phone for whatever reason.

All organisations develop their own particular language and acronyms, but bear in mind that these may need explaining to an outsider. In fact, it might be better to avoid them altogether.

Draw out any harmful content that might raise negative thoughts in the mind of the recruiter.

A reminder that although a high impact CV might earn you an interview, it wont get you the job.

Key to improving our work performance is getting feedback from others on how were doing. The same principle applies with CVs.

Which of the following approaches do you think works better? Sending your CV out on a carefully targeted basis or spamming it to all and sundry?

Theres more to networking than fishing out all the business cards youve accumulated over the years. Besides, exemplary networking is about quality of contacts not quantity.

How to use your CV as a basis for developing a succinct and memorable personal commercial that will register you positively with other people.

The way to get the best results out of your dealings with specialist recruiters is to build and manage a relationship with them. So heres how to go about wooing them.

A CV has only really achieved its goal if you secure an interview, when youll need to reinforce and build on its content.

A rejection letter neednt be the end of the story. A good follow-up strategy can keep you in the corporate minds eye.

Tips on how to avoid Titanic projects, plus what to put in your CV if you cant avoid the looming icebergs.

A unique selling point will make you stand out from the crowd. So, what makes you so special.

The nature of our work dictates whether we need a CV to further our careers. That said, we might need one even if we think we dont. Confused? Then read on.