Sooner or later,you will need to write a CV. Whether you have finished University or during the beginning of your career, or as you are climbing up the corporate ladder.

A well written CV is your marketing tool. It highlights your unique skills, capabilities and talents to potential employers or head-hunters.

There are many templates available but even so, you need to always keep in mind that your CV must speak about your experience. It is your personal advertisement and so, some personalisation (within reason) will be needed to help you stand out from the crowd. And when you are applying for a specific position, your CV and accompanying letter must address the specific skills the employer has listed in the advert – whether they are essential and/or preferable. 

When an employer or a HR director reads your CV they should be able to decide whether:

• you are and have the pessary skills matching the employer’s requirements and
• to engage and impress the employer so they call you for that interview.

So how do you write a persuasive CV.

Brainstorming phase

Find yourself a quiet place, grab a warm or cool drink. Get yourself into the zone!

PITSTOP TIPS

Firstly, PLAN

Take time to map out your professional experience and read the advert carefully to plan how you are going to address and demonstrate your skills. How are you going to convince or persuade the reader that you have what they are looking for. That you are the right investment for their business.

Secondly, make LISTS

You may start with a really long list but slowly you will need to trim this down. Re-order  your experience or education to make it  more engaging, persuasive and effective.

Once you do this – you are now ready to start the process.

Step 1: Make a list of your skills and experiences

This is not unlike, a LinkedIn profile. Think about the positions and work you have carried out so far in your professional life. Write down your responsibilities and what you learnt – List the soft skills you learnt and developed.

Step 2 – Find the Job that you want to apply for

Social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter), newspapers, corporate and government websites are a great place to start. So are professional bodies – many of them have vacant position sections. And don’t forget your friends !!!

Step 3: Choose the format of your CV, the style.

Be mindful when choosing the style. This will create a first impression. The style and format should match  the position you are applying for.

Now that we have done all the preparation work, it is time to knuckle under and write your CV. 

We will explore how best to write your CV in our next article.