June24619788 270 Comments

CV Key Skills

Everyone knows you never get a second chance to make a first impression. But what some job seekers do not realise is that a CV is the first impression you leave on a prospective employer so it is no exaggeration to say that a bad CV can ruin your chances of being hired.

It is also important to have a CV because of the following 3 reasons:

  1. It is a Record: Keeping a CV and updating it regularly will help you keep track of all of your minor accolades, many of which you might forget if you don’t organise them all in one place.
  2. It Demonstrates Professionalism: Skills aren’t everything when you are on the job market. Often it isn’t about what you can do so much as how you can do it. Companies want employees who present themselves as polished professionals.
  3. It is a Reference: For employers, a CV is helpful simply for keeping track of candidates. Your CV is the point of reference that keeps you visible to employers during the hiring process.

What Do Recruiters Look For in a CV?

Successful CVs stand out for many reasons, but recruiters primarily look for the following traits when evaluating the document you give them:

  • Presentation: Aesthetics are the first thing anyone reading your CV will notice. Does it look like a typical, cookie-cutter template? Is it easy to read at a glance? Is the information organised in a thoughtful manner? Is the document clear, efficient and precise? Inconsistent formatting, typos, and uncommon file formats are all quick ways present yourself in a negative light.
  • Relevance: Employers are interested in the relevant aspects of your professional history. So they probably don’t need to know about your part-time high school job as a car washer or that you are interested in collecting coins unless those things are directly related to the job for which you are applying. Don’t include things just to fill out the CV; every item on your list should be relevant to the task at hand.
  • Experience: Of course, the contents of your CV are critical too. Employers want to know what experience you have in the profession, or what skills you possess that will help you thrive in the role.

Key Skills to Highlight in Your CV

When putting together a CV, it can sometimes be hard to determine what skills or experiences to include and what to leave off.

The following types of information are relevant examples of what skills to highlight on a CV:

Administration Skills

  • Arranged meetings with senior management personnel
  • Distributed and filed new employee paperwork
  • Contacted customers and suppliers to arrange deliveries and receive orders
  • Managed transition of data from Microsoft 98 OS to Windows XP
  • Undertook digitisation project to scan the physical file and transfer to the cloud-based servers.

Communication Skills

  • Successfully mediated conflicts between staff members
  • Drafted and distributed interdepartmental memos
  • Read market reports and trend forecasts and 1-page business abstracts laying out all the key data and conclusions
  • Evaluated candidates for new positions and wrote brief reviews during hiring process
  • Recorded minutes of all executive level meetings

Managerial Skills

  • Oversaw customer service, financial, and administrative operations in the main office
  • Managed and trained two administrative assistants
  • Ordered raw materials and managed the receipt of all orders, confirming correct amounts and products
  • Arranged optimal scheduling for shop floor staff and filled vacancies when employees were sick or on holiday
  •  Coordinated deadlines and completion estimates between customers and production staff

Interpersonal Skills

  • Managed and trained multiple new staff members
  • Took charge of account management for several customer accounts
  • Coordinated business lunches and special events (such as concerts and sporting events) for key clients
  • Planned and hosted the annual holiday party
  • Hosted weekly employee lunches with staff members from multiple departments

IT Skills

  • Coordinated social media marketing campaigns
  • Built company website using interactive web design elements with HTML and CSS
  • Oversaw backup of company files to a cloud-based storage service
  • Managed transition from CD install software to new, scalable SaaS systems
  • Managed and organised Excel databases with performance analytics data

Problem-Solving Skills

  • Identified issue in IT systems and provided alternate solutions
  • Drafted a report providing ways to streamline office functions, which were later implemented by management
  • Replaced traditional office desks with standing desks for all willing employees, which led to an 8% increase in office productivity
  • Addressed customer complaints in a timely manner, providing store credit for faulty products
  • Implemented flexible scheduling and reduced overall energy consumption by 14% in six months.

Creativity Skills

  • Set up and maintained a company blog online, with more than 5,000 daily visitors
  • Drafted new design plans for a product that sold more than 1 million units
  • Designed new labels and logo for the company
  • Created invitations to the annual holiday party
  • Designed brochures and product catalogues for distribution by mail.

Finance Skills

  • Oversaw payroll for more than 80 employees
  • Paid taxes on both federal and state levels
  • Utilised Quickbooks for invoicing and accounts payable
  • Kept track of profitability via Excel spreadsheets
  • Implemented new credit card payment scanners

Read More – www.jobs.telegraph.co.uk

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5 signs your CV is underselling you

On average, recruiters receive 250 applications per corporate job opening. With a statistic like this, it is essential that your CV is up to scratch, because if you’re not selling yourself on your CV, you can bet that the next candidate is.

If your CV includes one or more of the following signs, it might be time to step it up.

  1. Your CV is missing a skills section

When it comes to passing an applicant tracking system, your skills section is your best friend. This is the easiest way to insert keywords into your CV and highlight to the recruiter (and software) that you have the necessary skills for the role. If you don’t have a skills section on your CV, or if you are listing irrelevant skills, then you are likely underselling yourself.

  1. You’ve yet to master the art of the humble brag

It’s not always comfortable to talk about your achievements, but when the whole point of a CV is to sell yourself, you need to step it up.

Enter the art of the humble brag.

The goal here is to brag about your achievements, qualifications and skills in a way that is professional and polite (and doesn’t necessarily feel like bragging). If you’re struggling to talk about your accomplishments, you could be underselling yourself.

  1. You’ve listed your duties but not your achievements

Recruiters are looking for candidates who can demonstrate relevant experience and offer a positive contribution to the hiring company. When listing your previous work experience, you shouldn’t be writing it like a job description. It’s fine to list your responsibilities, but recruiters will be looking for your achievements. What did you contribute to your previous roles? What impact did you have? If you can list specific accomplishments and figures to demonstrate the quantifiable impact you made, chances are you’ll move ahead of the competition.

  1. You forgot to include a cover letter

When your CV is only two pages in length, you want to make sure you are using every tool you’ve got to impress a recruiter. So why wouldn’t you submit a cover letter? Unlike a CV, your cover letter is an opportunity to speak directly to the hiring manager and address exactly why you’re the perfect candidate for the role. Even if the job application lists a cover letter as ‘optional’, it’s always recommended to submit one. If you don’t, you’re probably underselling yourself and limiting your opportunities.

  1. You skipped the proofread

Errors and spelling mistakes are a major pet hate for 71 percent of recruiters, so you’re certainly selling yourself short if you don’t take the time to proofread your CV. Use spell check on your word processor, read it through slowly at least three times and, if you can, get a friend to read it too.

Read More – www.jobs.telegraph.co.uk

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8 things to remove from your CV right away

Getting your CV right is essential for job-hunt success as it’s the first stage of convincing a prospective employer that you’re the one for the role.

To make sure you present yourself as the talent they need to bring on board, here are eight things that should not be included on your CV. Remove them right away and you’ll create an impression that lasts for the right reasons.

  1. Age and date of birth

As your age doesn’t affect your ability to do the job you’re applying for, it has no place on your CV. Employers should measure your ability on years of experience, not how old you are.

In the UK, under the Equality Act 2010, it’s illegal for employers to discriminate against candidates because of their age. Therefore, recruiters should not ask for this information during the job-application process, and they should not base their decisions on hiring or not hiring you based on how old you are. Don’t give them the fuel to do so by including your age on your CV.

  1. Marital status and dependents

Like your age, your marital status and the number of children you have don’t affect your ability to do a job. Therefore, you don’t need to include this information on your CV. Plus, these are protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.

  1. Personal circumstances

Most candidates are extremely lucky to experience a smooth career trajectory, as most of us go through a few bumps here and there. Your reasons for being out of work have no place on your CV for two reasons.

Firstly, your CV is a two-page document filled with your most relevant skills and abilities to show why you’re a great fit for a vacancy. You don’t want to waste precious space with details that could convince the prospective employer why you might not be so great. This is particularly pertinent if you were dismissed from your last role.

Secondly, some personal circumstances are also protected characteristics, such as being pregnant or on maternity leave. It’s worth noting that you’re legally protected by the Equality Act if you’re associated with someone who has a protected characteristic, such as if you were caring for a family member or friend with a disability. Even if your reason is protected, don’t open yourself up to potential discrimination by listing it on your CV. There are better ways to fill the space.

  1. A photo

In some countries, a headshot is customary. However, in the UK, a photo of yourself is not required.

Firstly, employers should judge you on your skills and experience, not what you look like. Therefore, it’s more beneficial to fill the space with the details they’re looking for.

Secondly, a photo can often reveal your age, or at least give a general idea of it. Avoid the possibility of age discrimination by not including a headshot on your CV.

  1. Your address

Once upon a time, listing your address on your CV was a requirement. Today however, you simply need to list your town and county of residence.

Most application forms ask you to fill in your address separately, so there’s little point in adding it to your CV too. But your general location can be a nice addition to your CV if your locality is deemed a selling point.

If you think your location might negatively affect your chances of landing a job ‒ if you live quite a distance away, for example ‒ you can omit your location from your CV entirely.

  1. ‘Curriculum vitae’ as the title

Many job hunters make the mistake of titling their CV with the phrase ‘curriculum vitae’ or ‘CV’. This is outdated and unnecessary.

As most CVs are sent digitally, the file name of the document should be enough to signal to the recruiter what it is. Plus, if you’ve formatted your CV correctly, a prospective employer will know that it’s a CV with one glance.

Treat your name as the title of the document. After all, your CV is all about you. Place it at the top of your CV in large lettering, followed by your email address, phone number, location and your LinkedIn URL.

  1. Irrelevant work experience and qualifications

It’s extremely important to tailor your CV to the job for which you’re applying. Therefore, don’t be afraid to cut irrelevant details from your CV. This includes work experience from over 10 years ago or positions that are unrelated to the industry you’re entering, for example.

I’d also encourage you to avoid listing every single qualification to your name if you’re a few years into your career. Summarise your qualifications where you can; for example: ‘four A-Levels, grades A to C’.  And if you’re an experienced professional, it’s perfectly acceptable to list only your most recent or weighty qualification, such as your degree. The rest of your education is suggested.

  1. References

How useful is the line ‘References available upon request at the end of your CV? Not very.

Across the UK, there is a mutual expectation between past and prospective employers that an exchange of references may be necessary when a new hire starts their role. Therefore, as everyone is in the know, it’s redundant to say at the end of your CV that you have references at hand.

If your new employer wants a reference, they’ll ask for it, so use that space on the page for more important points to show recruiters what a great hire you’d make.

Read More – www.jobs.telegraph.co.uk