CV Basics You NEED to Know to Win

Curriculum Vitae CV – Basics You NEED to Know to Win

Curriculum Vitae (CV) means literally “course of life”. It’s Latin. And boring.

Your CV actually should be just just the opposite. Exciting. Relevant to the needs of the reader. Powerful in delivering a message that focuses on exactly how you’re of value to the reader.

The Curriculum Vitae MUST answer the 2 critical questions (that you’ll see me preaching all over). They are:

Curriculum Vitae CV Critical Questions

  • Who are you and what can you do for me?
  • Why should I believe you?

Question one means you your CV CANNOT just be all about you. To be exciting and to get response, it CANNOT just start out in the usual way – personal details, high school details and then a boring list of “duties and responsibilities.”

Of course you can land a job with an old outdated, old fashioned CV like this, but in a more competitive market, perhaps you’ll agree, a bolder approach is needed?

Question two, focuses on your credibility. Are you qualified, experienced enough to do the job? In a CV this means focus on your jobs and qualifications. BUT that’s not all. Just because you were an “Accountant” doesn’t mean you were any good!

So your curriculum vitae (or resume) needs to present evidence or proof that you’re great at what you do. Your achievements, your awards, your meeting of targets, your positive recommendations, referrals – all of these are effective in helping you get that message across.

More CV / Curriculum Vitae or Resume Mistakes

  • Your 1st page is your name
  • Your CV’s 2nd page is contains irrelevant details to the employer
  • You give more ‘space’ (CV real estate) to junior jobs, schooling, or courses that are now really “old”
  • Your CV never articulates – especially at the start – your marketing message, ie. the single, concise, powerful answer to the 2 questions above: “what can you do for me and why should I believe you?”
  • You don’t highlight and focus on achievements in the Curriculum Vitae
  • You don’t show how your work was measured and how you performed, in the resume.

Here are some helpful links if you feel you need help:

Step by step instructions and a CV template: http://www.wowcv.net/how-to-write-a-cv/

If you’d like my personal help: http://www.wowcv.net/professional-cv-writing

 

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