Have you considered having your CV written by someone? Be careful.
They say that it takes 10 000 hours to become an expert at something. And last week I had confirmed how true this is.
I got a call from “J”. He’d had his CV written by firm who call themselves the “career engineers”. I’m sure they’re great at something. Writing a CV is not that thing. I’m not going to run down their services (thus I haven’t given their name), variety is the spice of business.
However …
- What “J” wanted was his successes/achievements included. They hadn’t been?!?
- They’d also added their logo and advert to every page of his CV. (After he paid R800+)
- The CV was 13 pages long, c’mon! we’re in the 21st century here!
- There was no focus, no strategy, no careful thinking out of what the CV should achieve and what information was going to be best to include. It was just page after page of often irrelevant detail
- And it started out like this: “J is a broad based specialist …” What is a “broad based specialist?” Isn’t that a contradiction in terms, for one thing? And secondly, what is it? How does it help an employer? Why should anyone care?
I’m not the best CV writer. I make some spelling mistakes. I leave out a full stop. But what’s critical for me is …
- To get the strategy of the CV right – what’s it’s purpose, what’s the target?
- To figure what detail will impress and influence an employer
- To ask what will get immediate attention
- To use fresh, strong words to pep the reading up, add energy
- To ask how can I format it or lay it out for maximum exposure and effect
- And to uncover the real person behind the facts
Those are the big issues. A full stop can always be added. But these big issues take time and experience (10 000 hours!) to resolve.
So be judicious. I can’t possibly write everyone’s CV and there are a few other good CV writers out there. But feel free to run something past me if you’re uncertain. Just contact me directly on gerard [at] jobsearching.co.za.
[By the way, I’m well into my 2nd 10 000 hours.]
