Your CV Cannot Not Guarantee You A New Job, And Here's Why

By Michelle Wanjiku
Your CV is a very important document especially when it comes to finding a job. However, it is not the only thing you need. Even if you have a well-written CV it is still not enough to help you get the job you want.
Your curriculum vitae will only get you so far and there are reasons why employers don’t hire you just by looking at your CV.
Here are some of the reasons why your CV alone won’t get you the job
1. It can’t keep your dirty secrets forever
There are things that you would want to hide from employers especially since you think they can affect whether you get the job or not. For example, long employment gaps, being fired and more.
Some even go as far as faking work history in order to look like they have the right qualification.
The problem with this plan is even if you manage to hide all of this in your CV, the employer will eventually find out either during the interview or when conducting reference checks. This will in turn completely ruin your chances of getting the job and you won’t ever be able to get a job at that company.
I attended an interview last week where on paper the candidate who came in was the perfect fit, she was actually one of the strongest and the interviewer was impressed with her credentials. However, when it came to answering questions she did not know any of the things she had put in her CV.
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2. It can’t tell your life story
Another thing to remember with your CV is that it should offer the employer a look into your qualifications and skills; it is not a document where you list all your education and work history.
There are some jobs you may have held that are of no consequence to the role you are applying for and those should be removed from your CV.
For example, if you took driving lessons, you don’t have to add this in your education background unless the job requires you to have a license otherwise you are just filling space with things that don’t matter.
The same goes if you have very many years of experience, you need to list the most recent and leave out jobs you held in the 90s unless they are completely relevant.
Remember, a HR manager will only have seconds to go through your CV and they will not go through a five-page CV because it is a waste of their time. Therefore keep your CV as brief as possible while at the same time, showing your capabilities to handle the job.
You can always talk about your other qualifications during the interview.
3. It can’t win popularity contests
A good CV will help get you interviews but from then on it is up to you to impress the interviewer and show them that you are the best possible fit. Remember everyone else interviewing for the position is as quailed as you are some even more qualified.
This means that you also need good interviewing skills in order to set yourself apart from everyone else. Once you get the interview it doesn’t matter how qualified you are on paper if you are unable to impress the interview you might not get the job.
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4. It can’t be your only strategy
Having a good CV is just not enough to get you a good job. You will need to make yourself visible to employers so that they want to look at your CV.
This is where LinkedIn comes in. Without a proper profile, employers may never headhunt you even if you have a remarkable CV. This means that you need to ensure you have a profile that attracts employers and can get you headhunted.
Networking is also important because when you have the right connections you will be able to know of positions that are usually not advertised and you will also be recommended for positions.
Finally,
This doesn’t mean that you should not be serious about what your CV looks like and what message it is sending employers.
You still need to ensure that the document you are using to apply for jobs is current, has no silly mistakes such as grammatical errors and sells your skills and qualifications.
You could choose to have your CV professionally written by an expert who knows the recruitment industry well by sending an email to cvwriting@corporatestaffing.co.ke