JOBS & CAREERS SPRING 2018 - 45

urself

A P P LY I N G F O R A J O B

A CV and covering letter
are your first opportunity to
show a potential employer
what you have to offer, so
make them count

I

n this first-paced digital world, it's
tempting to write a generic CV
and send it off in double-quick
time as soon as you see a job you like.
Don't! First, you need to ask yourself,
"What is the job I'm applying for?"
Every employer is looking for a
specific candidate with a certain skill
set. According to a study by job search
site theladders.com, your CV has just
six seconds to impress a recruiter - if
it's too generic, it will take too long for
them to spot what you are offering. Make
sure your application is targeted to the
job in question from the very start.

Start with the basics
There are plenty of websites that
can guide you through writing an
impressive CV. However, it's important
to remember these basic rules:
* Keep your CV neat, simple, easy to read
and no more than two pages long.
* Tailor your experience and skills to
the vacancy you're applying for.
* Emphasise relevant achievements.
* Make sure you use powerful,
active words such as "supervised",
"created" and "transformed".
* Avoid generic phrases such as "team
player" and "hardworking". Provide
real-life examples of these skills instead.

Make them look
One way to make your CV stand out is
to make it visually engaging. Take your
cue from creatives applying to social
networking giants Facebook and Google,
who have turned theirs into video games,
chocolate bars and even milk cartons.
You don't have to be wacky to stand out
from the crowd. There are lots of online
J O B S & C A R E E R S /// 4 5


http://www.theladders.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JOBS & CAREERS SPRING 2018

http://europe.nxtbook.com/emp/Careers/jcspring2018
https://europe.nxtbook.com/emp/Careers/JobsandCareersAutumn2017
https://europe.nxtbook.com/emp/Careers/YourBusinessWithJamesCaan2017
http://europe.nxtbook.com/emp/Careers/Careers/Careers_with_Hayley_Taylor_2011
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com