Career Services from Measurability

Once upon a time in CV advice … 

When asked this question I reflect back to one of my earliest experiences in the field of recruitment and careers. I was working as a recruitment consultant. I had a vacancy for a Quality Engineer advertised and I received an application by post which was a 14 page CV. I would like to advice readers that this was a time before email and technology. The role was quite urgent so I told the jobseeker that we would use the current CV BUT it was too long and we would have to amend it for future roles. After 1 hour at the fax the last page went of the employer. Anyway the jobseeker was called for interview and he completed the interview. I phoned him for feedback shortly after. He told me that the interview went great and made a point of telling me that the employer had commented on how good his CV was.

CV with no more that 3 pages 

I guess the point of this story is that people read CV’s and each person has a different taste. This is why it is difficult to give a 100% confident answer about how long a CV should be. My advice is anywhere between 2 and 3 pages but 1 page summary CV’s are common.

CV with important information on page 1

Let’s move away from the length for a minute. A more important point is that whatever the length of your CV it is essential that any relevant information can be accessed on the first page of the document. Many hiring managers don’t take the time to read a CV in full and often make interview decisions in as little as 30 seconds. Do not leave it to chance that a client will read your CV in full.

Measurability offers a full CV and Cover Letter writing service and expert information on job search strategies. We are experts in the field offering positive results to jobseekers in Ireland.

CV’s can fail for many reasons. If the CV doesn’t do the job then you can kiss goodbye to precious interviews. There are a number of key mistakes made on CV’s and I have outlined these below.

Ignoring the target audience– This is the most popular. If you do not consider the target audience when writing a CV – forget about it!! Any good salesman will tell you that you have to understand the customer and target your pitch accordingly. Well this is the same when writing a CV. Identify What they want and pitch your CV accordingly.

Lack of accuracy – A polite way of telling lies. If you lie on your CV the likelihood is that you will be caught out. If you get caught out – no job. Skilled interviewers will know where potential porkies can be found on a CV. They will certainly shine the spotlight in these areas.

Poor presentation – Content is the most important aspect of a CV BUT it must also look good on the eye. Small font, poor formatting and other layout issues can turn the reader off. It is important to have a flowing CV with good margins and ample white space. Ensure that you have clear headers so the reader can find information quickly. Fancy designs – well that is up to you – personally I prefer to keep it simple.

Poor attention to detail – Poor spelling and Grammar can be a show stopper. We all have spell checks on the PC – so please use the tool. I would also advise that you get someone to proof read the CV also just to be safe.

If you want help to produce a professional CV that will make an impact and generate interview contact Measurability – Irish CV experts.

I met with a client today to discuss job search strategies and interview preparation. During our discussion she produced a CV and a cover letter that she had paid a “Professional” to produce.

Ok it was not the worst CV I have ever seen but there were glaring mistakes. It made me think – hey you do a good job Paul BUT also you do not charge enough!!

Here are some of the mistakes ….

CV Mistakes

Career Objective – Employers do not care what you want. They only care about themselves and the simple fact can you solve their problem. Replace career objectives with value statements – this will focus on the employer and not you.

Small Font – I have good eyesight so when I have to squint to read the CV the font is too small. This professional sacrificed readability in the bid to make a one page CV. If the employer cannot read the CV then they cannot get the information.

Solicitor Language – Some professionals over complicate language. To be honest I did not understand the meaning of half of the words. Keep it simple!!

An last but not least the biggest mistake – The CV was designed with a “one CV fits all jobs” philosophy – This will not work and you will miss out on key interviews. A CV should be tweaked for every job you apply for. When I produce a CV I will educate the client about future applications and their CV.

Cover Letter Mistakes

The cover letter highlighted why I never read them. It was pure jibber. There were big words and sentences that tell you absolutely nothing about the individual. There was a one word used that I am afraid of writing just incase the creator reads this post. A cover letter is an opportunity to let you put your personality across – don’t waste the opportunity.

There are some great people out there who write CV’s for a living and there are some cowboys. Choosing a service provider is like anything else. Shop around BUT do not just focus on the lowest price. If you need help with your CV check out our site.