posted 28th September 2023
As the job market has been growing increasingly competitive, we are consistently seeing people on LinkedIn reaching out to say they have been made redundant or lost their job and that they are finding it difficult to find new career opportunities. They often ask if we can help them to find their next IT-related role. Unfortunately, some of these messages from candidates are saying that they have been searching for a new role for 3 months, 6 months, or even 2 years! It is important to keep in mind that the job market can be extremely competitive, especially now. Although job searching can be a long, tedious, and frustrating process, keeping an upbeat attitude (and having a fantastic CV) can help land the role that you want. Employers are seeking new employees who have confidence in their skills and can demonstrate determination and a positive mentality.
The number one tip we can give, if you are out of work, is to look to your network of contacts including professional contacts and even friends and family who might be able to connect you with companies, roles, or hiring managers. This is by far one of the most effective ways to learn about opportunities and secure interviews. However, if this approach doesn't work, you are almost certainly going to have to start applying for roles through more conventional channels such as company websites, LinkedIn, recruiters, job boards, etc. This will then mean relying on your CV as the tool for potential employers to get to know you.
What are the rules for an effective CV?
First, make it easy for the potential employer to understand who you are. Remember CVs are scanned, not read in full initially. People are looking to see if they should spend more time on your application. Make it easy to understand who you are so they can make that decision. Therefore, one of the most effective things you can do for landing job interviews is to ensure the presentation of you and your skills on your CV are accurate, detailed, eye-catching, and tailored for each job application.
The key information decision-makers are looking for include:
1) Name
2) Location
3) What Do You Do
4) What Do Want to Do Next
5) Why Are You Successful
6) Last 5 Years of Experience
7) Education/Training
Recruiters and hiring managers want to quickly and easily understand who you are, where you are from, what do you do, and why you are good at it. These are the fundamentals upon which a decision to either interview you or explore your CV in more detail will be made. Keep this in mind when you review your own CV and think, can I get this information quickly and clearly from it? If not, make the needed changes.
Second, think of who will be receiving your CV. The person receiving your CV will know nothing about you, so it is important to present yourself in a way that is relevant, attractive, and provides adequate detail about your skills and experience. However, in the digital age, companies and recruitment agencies receive lots of CVs and may not take the time to reply to each application that they receive. However, the key to increasing your chances of being contacted for an interview is to make less applications, but to put in more effort and give more attention to those that you make. So, what should you do to increase the chances that your CV will impress potential employers and lead to a job interview?
Top CV Tips for Securing Interviews
Creating an eye-catching CV is crucial to grab the attention of potential employers or recruiters. Here are some top tips to make your CV stand out:
1. Tailor Your CV: Customise your CV for each job application. Highlight the skills, experiences, and qualifications that are most relevant to the specific position you're applying for. Use keywords from the job description.
2. Clear and Concise Format: Use a clean, organised format with clear headings, bullet points, and consistent fonts. Keep it well-structured and easy to read. Add subtle design elements to make your CV visually appealing. This can include a clean layout, bullet points, bold headings, and strategic use of colour. Ideally, limit your CV to two pages. For very experienced professionals, it may extend to three pages, but avoid unnecessary details.
3. Professional Summary/Personal Objective: Start with a compelling professional summary or objective statement that quickly conveys your career goals and what you bring to the role which is specific to each application.
4. Professional Experience: Focus on your work experience, emphasising recent and relevant roles. Describe your responsibilities and achievements in a results-oriented manner.
5. Quantify Achievements: Whenever possible, use quantifiable data to showcase your accomplishments. For example, mention revenue growth percentages, project completion times, or the number of team members you managed.
6. Use Action Verbs: Use strong action verbs to describe your responsibilities and achievements. Words like "managed", "led", "achieved", and "implemented" convey a sense of accomplishment.
7. Relevant Keywords: Incorporate industry-specific keywords and phrases to help your CV pass through applicant tracking systems and reach human recruiters.
8. Showcase Skills: Include a dedicated skills section to highlight your technical and soft skills. Use a mixture of hard and soft skills relevant to the job. Consider including relevant volunteer work, hobbies, or extracurricular activities that demonstrate skills or qualities valued in the job.
9. Education Highlights: Highlight relevant coursework, honours, and academic achievements. For experienced professionals, education details can be concise.
10. Be Honest: Always be truthful in your CV. Exaggerating or providing false information can have serious consequences if discovered.
11. Proofread Carefully & Get Feedback: Eliminate spelling and grammatical errors. A well-proofread CV conveys professionalism and attention to detail. Have someone you trust review your CV for feedback and suggestions. Fresh perspectives can help you refine your content and presentation.
12. Online Presence: If you have a professional website, LinkedIn profile, or other online portfolio, include links to these in your contact information.
13. Update Regularly: Keep your CV up to date with your latest accomplishments and experiences.
Remember that your CV is your first opportunity to make a positive impression on recruiters and potential employers, so investing time and effort into creating an eye-catching, tailored document is essential for a successful job search.
Finally, make sure to follow up on the applications for jobs that you really want. Good luck in your job search!
If you are an IT professional looking for a new technical or sales role in Cloud, Cyber, or Managed Services, we would enjoy the opportunity to talk with you about your goals and the opportunities in the current job market.
Please get in touch with us by emailing contact@tsrltd.co.uk or calling 020 3837 9180. We look forward to speaking with you!