INSEAD Library

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High Impact CVs 52 Brilliant Ideas for Making Your Résumé Sensational Contents Brilliant ideas Brilliant features..............................................................................................................xii Introduction..................................................................................................................... xiii 1. Dream a little dream.................................................................................................. 1 High impact CVs reflect precisely what you're looking to achieve from your career. So, before putting pen to paper, consider what you want from the work you do. 2. Remember, remember............................................................................................... 7 Take a trip down memory lane and use the past as your starting point for a brand new CV............................................................................................................................... 3. How long do I have?.................................................................................................. 11 The two-page CV has become the Microsoft Windows of job-hunting. It's not about it being the best format, it's just the one that everybody uses. So, just how important is size? 4. Eight potentially life-changing seconds.................................................................. 15 On average, it takes eight seconds to decide whether to continue reading a CV or to bin it. Here's how to capture and keep the reader's attention in those first vital moments. 5. Me in a nutshell..........................................................................................................19 Present employers with a profile statement that sums up your proposition concisely. 6. What's your type?......................................................................................................25 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? 7. D.I.Y.C.V. ..................................................................................................................... 31 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. 8. Cut to the chase.......................................................................................................... 35 Score points with the reader for every line of your CV and concentrate on identifying your high value content. 9. Throw another log on the file.....................................................................................41 Devise a good tracking system - vital for when you've a number of job search activities on the go. 10. Learn to speak 'behaviourese'.................................................................................47 Use your CV as a tool to illustrate your competencies and you'll really impress the recruiters. 11. Reading the runes.....................................................................................................53 How to interpret job advertisements and ensure your CV reflects what's required. 12. What am I letting myself in for?...............................................................................57 The better you understand your target company, the more targeted you can make your CV. Which is why you'd be wise to find out as much as possible about your next potential employer. 13. Ditch the dodgy dossier........................................................................................... 61 Resist the temptation to sex up the content of your CV. 14. Numbers count..........................................................................................................65 How to impress by numbers, using sales figures, savings, turnaround times and other relevant metrics 15. Be an achiever.......................................................................................................... 69 An impressive job description doesn't necessarily mean you're good at what you do. Far more meaningful is a substantial record of personal achievements. 16. Write with panache...................................................................................................75 Let's look at some ways to cut a linguistic dash and make a great impression. 17. The seven deadly CV sins....................................................................................... 79 Sometimes best practice is about the things we do; sometimes it's more about the things we don't do... 18. Looks can kill ............................................................................................................85 Content is obviously important but so is presentation so take the time to get it right. 19. Two CVs are better than one................................................................................... 89 Inside information on how to produce a tailor-made CV for each application. 20. How to deal with the skeletons in your CV............................................................ 93 Want to know how to mind the gaps in your CV or a track record that'd qualify you for membership of Job-hoppers Anonymous? 21. Another skeleton, another cupboard: redundancy............................................... 99 Redundancy isn't the show-stopper it once was, but you still need to be careful how you convey this news to an interviewer. 22. Selling a one-company career.................................................................................103 It is possible to convey a one-company career to your advantage without suggesting that you're boring or lacking in ambition (even if you are). 23. Take the CAR 107 When it comes to work, simply being there isn't enough. We need to achieve some good outcomes for the company at the same time, 24. Corporate prehistory 113 It's said that actors are only as good at their last performance. Rather alarmingly, the same principle applies in corporate life, meaning much of your experience is already past its sell-by date. 25. Show some oomph......................................................................................... 117 Don't let your CV become an acronym for 'Characterless Verbalese'. Instead, use positive, active language to convey enthusiasm and make yourself (even) more interesting. 26. Act your age.....................................................................................................125 Is it better to disclose your date of birth or to keep it under your hat? 27. Rob versus Robert,......................................................................................... 129 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. 28. I'm keen on ping-pong, playing the ukulele and going to the theatre......... 135 Do personal interests impress recruiters? They can do, particularly if you think carefully about the mix you choose to outline. 29. Set the right tone........................................................................................... 139 OK, so you want to get noticed but you also want that interview so don't want to go over the top in terms of wackiness. Here's what you need to know... 30. Apply yourself................................................................................................. 143 Always popular in the public and voluntary sectors, private companies are increasingly using application forms as a way of acquiring behavioural information about candidates. 31, Surfing CVs.............................................................................................................. 147 A reminder that job searching has gone digital. 32. Transatlantic issues............................................................................................... 153 CVs that work here won't necessarily work elsewhere. Be sure to arm yourself with a pond-crossing, stateside stunner of a résumé. 33. Please find attached .............................................................................................. 159 A top-notch covering letter can be viewed as either essential or totally unnecessary and we've no way of knowing which is the case. 34. Bring me the head of Johnny Recruiter................................................................163 The lowdown on what recruiters say will push their buttons and what will get on their nerves. 35. Time to shed some pounds?................................................................................. 169 Avoid giving details of your salary in your CV. If you're specifically asked to do so, however, here are some tips on how to go about it. 36. Reference points.....................................................................................................173 I'm sure you can rustle up two people who would write something vaguely complimentary about you. Even so, manage the process, don't leave it to chance. 37. Is it convenient to talk?.......................................................................................... 177 Life can be cruel. Shortlisted candidates can be demoted to the reserve list if they cannot be reached by phone for whatever reason. 38. Bend the facts a little..............................................................................................181 All organisations develop their own particular language and acronyms, but bear in mind that these may need explaining to an outsider. In fad, it might be better to avoid them altogether. 39. Detox your CV...........................................................................................................185 Draw out any harmful content that might raise negative thoughts in the mind of the recruiter. 40. Is your CV fitter than you?...................................................................................... 189 A reminder that although a high impact CV might earn you an interview, it won't get you the job. 41. I'll show you mine if you show me yours............................................................... 195 Key to improving our work performance is getting feedback from others on how we're doing. The same principle applies with CVs. 42. Quality versus quantity............................................................................................ 199 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? 43. Networking................................................................................................................203 There's more to networking than fishing out all the business cards you've accumulated over the years. Besides, exemplary networking is about quality of contacts not quantity. 44. Perfect your personal elevator pitch...................................................................... 207 How to use your CV as a basis for developing a succinct and memorable personal ' commercial that will register you positively with other people. 45. Dealing with specialist recruiters........................................................................... 211 The way to get the best results out of your dealings with specialist recruiters is to build and manage a relationship with them. So here's how to go about wooing them. 46. Handling interviews................................................................................................. 217 A CV has only really achieved its goal if you secure an interview, when you'll need to reinforce and build on its content. 47. Handling rejection.................................................................................................. 221 A rejection letter needn't be the end of the story. A good follow-up strategy can keep you in the corporate mind's eye. 48. Avoiding the poisoned chalice.............................................................................. 225 Tips on how to avoid 'Titanic' projects, plus what to put in your CV if you can't avoid the looming icebergs. 49. Manage the brand called You................................................................................ 231 A unique selling point will make you stand out from the crowd. So, what makes you so special. 50. Do you even need a CV at all? ..............................................................................235 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 don't. Confused? Then read on. 51. Treat your CV as a wade mecum...........................................................................239 The dictionary definition of 'vale mecum' is 'a handbook or other aid carried on the person for immediate use when needed.' Here are the benefits of owning one. 52. One last thing (20 actually).................................................................................... 245 Use this checklist to ensure that you send your CV out in a fit state. Bonus ideas ................................................................................................................. 251 The End ........................................................................................................................ 265 Or is it a new beginning? Where it's at ................................................................................................................. 267 Index