HOW TO WRITE A PROPER CV
I frequently sit on interview panels with job applicants. South Africa, we must really help our sons and daughters. I am shocked by the number of CVs I review that has several pages but means absolutely nothing. Remember, the employer does not know you but needs a position filled because there is a need in the company that the incumbent will fulfil. We must know (very quickly) if you are the right person for the job.
– Nobody is interested in your hobbies, don’t even bother to include them.
– Do not put fancy artwork or fonts on your CV, it distracts from the primary goal, discourages the reader, and makes it difficult to read. It also makes you look immature and unprofessional.
– Avoid spelling errors, and ask someone with experience to draw up your CV so that it does not look like something prepared in a rush. Too many CVs look like this, it tells the employer you will produce the same bad quality of work.
– Make sure the CV is divided into sections that make it easier for the reader to find information. So add headings and make them bold font so that we can easily track your information.
– Do not use different fonts, please! It looks messy and this may be how your work quality will look at our company?
– Start with your personal details (name, surname, date of birth, ethnicity, area where you reside, contact details).
Too many people add the contact numbers of an aunt or grandparent, and it becomes a challenge to find the applicant. If you change your cell phone number shortly after applying, contact the employer and update your contact details. Ethnicity is important because some companies are looking to employ so-called “people of colour”, excluding this means you miss out on a job opportunity. Also, the area where you reside is critical, because sometimes employers want to know, should they give you the job, would travelling to work be an issue.
– Customise your work experience. In other words, you may e.g., not have experience in working with clients in a shop, but you have experience in working with people to whom your previous company provided services for. This means you do in fact possess applicable skills like dealing with difficult customers, ensuring satisfactory service delivery, supply and demand principles, monitoring and evaluation etc. How you write this section of your CV is crucial.
– Provide certified copies of your certificates and make sure they are not outdated.
– Be careful who you include as a reference/referee on your CV. Some people are out to prevent your success and say bad things about you. Also, let them know beforehand that they are included as a reference so that they know what to expect and prepare their minds as to what to say about you.
– Make sure your references are relevant. Avoid putting family or parents as references, rather use people you have worked with and had a good work relationship with. You don’t have to include your previous boss, supervisor, or manager as a reference if the two of you had disagreements. Rather add someone else from a job prior to or thereafter.
– Write a good cover letter. This means, it must be straight to the point, so tell them what you can do and how your skills and experience fit the job you are applying for. Avoid words like “I will be a good fit, I am a team player, I am a people’s person”. The golden rule is, don’t tell us, “show” us. I.e., write in a way that you give examples of where you have applied these skills.
I hope this helps someone.