Writing the perfect CV

I have had several opportunities over the last few months to read the CVs of people at risk of redundancy.  With my "career coaching" hat on, it is not often I give the first or second drafts the thumbs up.  Most CVs I read are bland, repetitive and look as if they have come off a production line.  I am bored after the first glance and find it easy to move on to the next one in the hope of finding something attention grabbing.

A lot of my clients say that so much has been written about the do's and don'ts of CV writing that it makes their heads spin.  They are understandably uncertain about whose advice to follow.

I recently read a useful article in Harvard Review with 9 top tips on "How to write a resume that doesn't annoy people" – interesting title.  And useful advice.

What is missing in that list is the most overlooked fact of all.  The name "Curriculum Vitae" translates from the Latin into English as "Book of Life".  It is therefore a personal reflection of a unique individual's career history.

Let me give you an example.

One of my clients was amazed when I said I felt his CV needed to come to life and that he should use everyday language to express himself.  With fluent German and English, he admitted to having "rusty" French and Spanish.  He wasn't sure about using "rusty" to indicate his level of skill as he felt it wasn't formal enough.  Once he relaxed and realised how important it was to let his personality come through on his CV rather than just listing his numerous qualifications and achievements, he also started to feel more confident about how he would express himself in an interview.

My advice on CV writing is to use the vast amount of material out there as a guideline to keep up with modern trends, but put your personal stamp on it to make it unique.

Recrion is a people and career management consultancy and is actively helping individuals affected by redundancy to consider their career options and build on their skills and experience.

Some of the people we advise are fortunate to be part of the R2R scheme and find our practical and insightful one-to-one career coaching sessions helpful.  R2R provides up to £1000 per employee to cover career guidance, skills assessment, explore career options, training funding, vocational qualifications and workshops to help candidates match and market themselves to new and hidden opportunities.  See if you qualify.

If you don't qualify, we are still able to help by offering Career Evolution Workshops and one-to-one career coaching sessions.  Call us on 01780 484910 for more information.