The Benefits of a Professionally-written CV in Job Hunt

In a highly competitive job market with thousands of candidates vying for the same opportunities, you need something to stand out; this is where a presentable, well-written, and comprehensible CV gets your foot in the door. Remember that most employers hardly take a few seconds to skim through a CV and in that short time, form an opinion of a candidate. Here is how a professional CV is well worth the time and effort.

The Benefits of CV

Distinguishes you in a Sea of Candidates

Your CV is the first encounter a prospective employer has with you and as such determines whether you go through the next round in the application process or get rejected. Hundreds of candidates apply for a single job opening and recruiters only get a few seconds to skim through each CV.  A professionally written and diligently tailored CV helps you stand out and gives your recruiters something to ponder over. When faced with a plethora of CVs, a recruiter will naturally gravitate towards a candidate who exhibits the best value in terms of qualification, achievements, and work experience.  If you nail all the elements of a CV right, you stand a good chance of landing an interview based on what your employers have learned about you from your CV.

Enhances Employability

A well-written CV helps you put your best face forward and show a prospective employer why you are the right person for the job. According to the Forbes business magazine and Harvard Business school, a professional CV increases the probability of your employment up to 40%. Remember that first impressions are often the last, and a CV helps you leave a memorable encounter with an employer.

Highlights your Achievements

A professional CV that enlists the necessary and most compelling details of your career, including the difference you brought at work, the concrete things you achieved for your former employer or projects you have undertaken, demonstrates your past and future worth to a company. A good tip is to research what skills are required for the role and then draw the skills from your experiences. For instance, if you are applying for the role of a business administrator, you should remember to include all relevant skills, such as computer literacy or filing methods you know. This will make sure your CV ticks all the boxes with the employers.

A Great CV Boosts Your confidence

We continue to overlook most of our achievements until we see them laid out in front of us.  Writing a great CV gives candidates a sense of pride in their accomplishments, which instantly boosts their confidence.  Remember that self-confidence is the key to landing the job of your dreams, since when you start believing in yourself and your competencies, you start applying to more and more challenging positions you once believed yourself unsuitable for. Not to mention, recruiters favor confidence since self-aware individuals are more likely to succeed in their jobs and exceed milestones.

Saves Time

A professionally-written CV that can be customized for every new application, already includes all the things that a prospective employer would want to know about you, and increases your chances of landing a good job. Successful candidates include their educational credentials, employment history, work experience, key skills, strengths and achievements, and even their interests and voluntary works in detail in their CVs. Also, when you have an in-depth CV, you will save time preparing for interviews, since the employer can simply refer to your CV and already see most of your professional life.

How to Make your CV Stand Out?

Make it presentable

Presentation is key when it comes to successful CVs. Make sure your CV is printed on clean, crisp white paper, featuring a clean and well-structured layout, with plenty of white spaces around text and between categories to make it readable. To make it easier for recruiters to skim your CV, incorporate bullet points, short sentences, and clear headers instead of lengthy paragraphs.  Instead of folding or crumpling your CV to fit in in a smaller envelope, make sure to use an A4 envelope. Also, put the most important information in the upper middle part of the first page, since this is the area, the recruiter will see first.

Hone your writing skills

There is a lot of thought that goes into writing a winning CV. For instance, remember to proof your CV for grammar or contextual errors before posting an application. Also, be sure to use a mix of active verbs, such as ‘presented’, ‘designed’, ‘liaised’ to show that you take initiative. Show, don’t tell: instead of resorting to ‘over-used’ phrases, such as ‘enthusiastic, ‘multi-tasker’ or ‘creative-thinker’, incorporate real-life examples that reflect those qualities.

Highlight your skills and interests

The set of skills you possess can make you stand out in a sea of competitors, especially if those skills are exactly what a recruiter is looking for. Don’t just pen down technical skills; even things such as being in a local sports team, count big time. As for your interests, you can include all the skills that you have gained from working in positions of responsibility, instead of passive interests such as “knitting” or “watching TV”. For instance, if you have ever championed a cause in school or started a reading club at college, include them in your CV to show how diverse, interested and skilled you are.

Emphasize results

Facts and numbers make your statements more plausible. for instance, instead of saying “I increased traffic for a client, write “I increased traffic by 56% for client X by executing XYZ strategy.” Also, instead of “I helped client X grow by leaps and bounds,” you can say “I helped client X increase revenue by Y and enhance brand awareness by Z%.”

Customize Your CV for each role

Make sure to research the values of the company you are apply to as well as garner a thorough comprehension of the job before tweaking your resume to appear relevant. Remember to use dynamic language that aligns with the values of the industry you are dealing with.  When you can relate your accomplishments to the elements of the job role, it shows that you already understand what is required of you.