15 Things You Should Do To Make Your CV Winning

15 Things You Should Do To Make Your CV Winning

1. Never use multiple colours in your CV, they are very distracting.
2. Have a section for professional summary, where you can highlight your key achievements, skills, key selling point, and competencies in two brief paragraphs
3. Keep your CV to 2 or 3 pages for it to be ATS Compliant. But 2 pages can be more impactful.
4. Use an inverted pyramid structure to write your CV, From most important to less important
5. Categorise your skills in terms of technical skills, hard and soft skills, in a listed format, don’t explain.
6. Bullets per position should not exceed 6-quantifiable duties/responsibilities
7. Remove irrelevant content e.g. age, hobbies, height, etc for your CV to be impactful.
8. Let your key skills and achievement pop up on the first page
9. Do not include your referees, the hiring manager may call them and yet you have not notified them about the same. You can provide them after they have shortlisted you.
10. Let the first page highlight a catchy professional summary, key skills, key achievements, and first-position experience that has been quantified.
11. Do not put more emphasis on your earlier position, emphasize the most 2 or 3 recent positions, the remaining record them as ‘other position held’
12. Do not just state the duties or roles, but rather quantify them so that they can bring out your value in those organizations you have worked for.
13. Use strong active verbs when writing your experience, eg. Initiated, managed, spearheaded, created, collaborated, orchestrated, etc.
14. Avoid Passive verbs, like responsible for, ensured, and in charge of…..
15. Always tailor Your CV for a specific JD, this is very key if you ever wish to get a job.
    [24/04/2024 08:47] Simon: 10 Essential Questions Your Resume Must Answer to Land Your Dream Job

Creating a resume that effectively communicates your qualifications and convinces employers you’re the ideal candidate for your dream job requires addressing these 10 key questions:

1. Who Are You?
   Your resume should clearly state your name and contact information, including your phone number and email address.
   Start with your name and contact information. For instance, “John Smith | Email: john.smith@email.com | Phone: (123) 456-7890.”
2. What Are Your Career Goals?
   Include a professional summary or objective statement that outlines your career goals and aspirations.
   Example: “Results-oriented marketing professional aspiring to lead a dynamic team in a fast-growing tech company.”
3. What’s Your Relevant Work Experience?
   List your work history in reverse order, emphasizing roles pertinent to the job. Example:

• Marketing Manager, XYZ Company (2020-2023)
• Project Coordinator, ABC Corporation (2018-2020)

1. What Have You Achieved?
   Use quantifiable achievements to demonstrate your impact in each role. Employers want to see tangible results.
   Highlight your accomplishments. Instead of saying you “managed a team,” demonstrate with, “Led a team of 10, achieving a 20% increase in productivity and surpassing quarterly targets by 15%.”
2. What Are Your Key Skills?
   Highlight the skills that are most relevant to the job, whether they are technical, soft, or transferable skills.
   Example: “Key Skills: Digital Marketing, Data Analysis, Team Leadership, SEO, and Content Strategy.”
3. Do You Have the Right Education?
   Include your educational background, including degrees, institutions, and graduation dates. Mention any relevant certifications or licenses.
   Example:

• Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, University of XYZ, 2018
• Certified Project Manager (PMP)

1. What Sets You Apart?
   Mention any unique qualities, such as awards, publications, or extracurricular activities, that make you stand out.
   For instance: “Recipient of the Marketing Excellence Award in 2022 and published author in industry journals.”
2. Can You Adapt and Learn?
   Showcase your ability to adapt to new challenges and learn new skills. Describe instances where you quickly acquired new knowledge.
   Example. “Rapidly acquired expertise in emerging social media trends, resulting in a 30% boost in online engagement.”
3. Can We Trust You?
   Include references or indicate that they are available upon request. Highlight any professional memberships or certifications that demonstrate trustworthiness.
   Example. “Member of the Kenya Marketing Association and holder of a Security Clearance.”
4. Are You a Cultural Fit?
   Use language that aligns with the company’s mission and values, and mention any volunteer work or hobbies that reflect shared values or interests.

Example. “Passionate about sustainability, involved in community clean-up initiatives, and a member of the local Green Energy Alliance.”

By thoughtfully answering these questions in your resume, you create a compelling document that resonates with potential employers. Remember to tailor your resume to each specific job, emphasizing the most relevant information and using keywords from the job description to make it even more compelling.
[25/04/2024 13:51] Simon: 5: Have you ever had a conflict with a boss?

Don’t say no. We have all had conflicts with bosses/managers. Just say “I remember one or two conflicts. Nothing big. We had disagreements and I always worked hard to not take it personally and worked on listening to the other person’s point of view and try to find a mutual ground for the benefit of the company. It is not about who wins a fight.”

6: What is your greatest weakness?

Please don’t say binge watching soap operas. That is not the point behind this question. You will find people advising you to take one point of strength in your character and saying it is a weakness. Also wrong because it shows you are deceiving the interviewer. Instead say something like “I have had trouble in the past with planning and punctuality. However, I’m now working on fixing this with this new app that makes sure I never miss an appointment and arrive on time.” Then show them the actual app on your phone. You are human, you make mistakes and you have weaknesses. The interviewer knows that. He/She will appreciate it when you talk about a true weakness and show what you are doing to overcome it.

7: You moved between three jobs in a year. Why should I hire you?

“Well, I may have left three jobs in a year. But I would rather not be employed than be employed at a place where I don’t have room to grow, show my ideas and create some real change and take a company to the next level. The worst thing at a job is the part of knowing you are not going anywhere or worse, you are not taking the company anywhere. I know my path and I feel my position here will really help me take this company to the next level.” Then start talking some brilliant ideas for that department. See how you took a very negative question into a very positive place?