During the weekend, I was mulling over why so many CVs end up in the bin. I was thinking this as I ploughed my way through yet another pile of the wretched things (we're working with a client company hiring a Sales Manager).
I was dealing with a pile of 70+ documents in response to a nationally-advertised position. About a third of the CVs were easily dumped, as they were from candidates who were below par in terms of current title and experience. Another two handfuls went straight into my 'circular filing cabinet' because their applications were clumsy or had easily-spotted errors. On my first pass through the pile of documents, only two really stood out. Two out of more than seventy. And that threw a switch in my brain whereby I immediately started demanding a similar level of quality from all the rest.
And that's the nub of the matter. A good CV picks you out of the crowd and gets you onto the shortlist. A great CV sets the standard for all the other CVs on the shortlist and even starts to set the agenda in the interview room.
You can only accomplish this if you get past the usual bang-off-yet-another-CV approach to job-hunting. These candidates had obviously been waiting for this job to come up. They were very well-researched; clued-in to the challenges facing the company in the market and provided relevant, real-world examples of their ability to get things done in this difficult environment. Their CVs focused (quantifiably) on their accomplishments and contributions and demonstrated a strong understanding of the realities of Sales Management in the current climate.
That is your goal whenever you apply for a job you really want: not just getting onto the shortlist, but setting the standard. Your CV can (and should) determine what the other candidates get asked in the interview room - you want to talk about these things, your competition may not want to (or be ready to)
There is never any excuse for a shoddy written representation of yourself - you have all of the control at this stage of the selection process. Use it!
I was dealing with a pile of 70+ documents in response to a nationally-advertised position. About a third of the CVs were easily dumped, as they were from candidates who were below par in terms of current title and experience. Another two handfuls went straight into my 'circular filing cabinet' because their applications were clumsy or had easily-spotted errors. On my first pass through the pile of documents, only two really stood out. Two out of more than seventy. And that threw a switch in my brain whereby I immediately started demanding a similar level of quality from all the rest.
And that's the nub of the matter. A good CV picks you out of the crowd and gets you onto the shortlist. A great CV sets the standard for all the other CVs on the shortlist and even starts to set the agenda in the interview room.
You can only accomplish this if you get past the usual bang-off-yet-another-CV approach to job-hunting. These candidates had obviously been waiting for this job to come up. They were very well-researched; clued-in to the challenges facing the company in the market and provided relevant, real-world examples of their ability to get things done in this difficult environment. Their CVs focused (quantifiably) on their accomplishments and contributions and demonstrated a strong understanding of the realities of Sales Management in the current climate.
That is your goal whenever you apply for a job you really want: not just getting onto the shortlist, but setting the standard. Your CV can (and should) determine what the other candidates get asked in the interview room - you want to talk about these things, your competition may not want to (or be ready to)
There is never any excuse for a shoddy written representation of yourself - you have all of the control at this stage of the selection process. Use it!
3 comments:
I also enjoy receiving CV's unsolicited and completely irrelevant to my company. If you cannot be bothered to see what we do then why should I be bothered looking at you! Bin...
So true. I too have to read a lot of CVs on a regular basis and most of them are just rubbish! A little time, a little effort and a clear understanding of what you have to offer - you will stand out a mile.
A non-targeted CV is the equivalent of a candidate saying, "What is it you make here anyway?" during the interview.
The most useful thing you can do, no matter what level you are at on the org chart is TALK to people. Talk to other job-hunters about what worked and didn't work for them. Talk to employers about the things that they love and hate to see at the written stage. A 3-minute chat with someone who works in the HR Department of your target company will allow you to avoid any number of landmines.
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