Job-winning CV: Should You Send the Same CV For Different Jobs?

Do you send the same CV for all the different jobs you apply for?

Not the best idea!

When you send a CV out to an employer, you want them to do something as a result of receiving it; you hope it will get you through to the next stage of the recruitment process.

But what if that CV isn’t written or tailored specifically for them? What if it isn’t really promoting you as the best candidate for the job? Well, it’s more than likely to end up being tossed aside!

So, how can you go about producing a professional CV that has a positive outcome and gets you through to that next stage? Think about your audience! This means tailoring your CV to show that your experiences are relevant to the knowledge and skills required in a particular role with a specific employer. This increases the chances of you getting through to the next stage of the recruitment process.

And yes, this means altering your CV for each new job you apply for! Tedious? Sure, but if you want your CV to land you an interview, you need to do the work.

Here are some simple guidelines to help you come up with a job-winning CV;

1. Understand your audience

Research the employer and the sector, and read the job description thoroughly. Keep updated with relevant sector news, sign up for email alerts, or follow the employer on social media sites to identify all the skills and knowledge the employer expects from their ideal candidate.

2. Talk their language

After categorizing the necessary skills and knowledge, it is time to present such competencies in your CV. Your education, work experiences, extracurricular activities, voluntary positions, and internship experiences can illustrate your relevant transferable skills.

If, for example, they require communication skills, then use the verb ‘communicated’ as the first word in your sentence/bullet point. If they are looking for liaison skills, use ‘liaised’. Need leadership skills? Use ‘led’.

3. Promote your successes

Talk about your achievements and give specific examples. If you handled a project and could deliver, mention it as well. Employers want to get an idea of your capabilities and strengths.

4. Target your headlines

To further tailor your CV, choose different headings to enable you to combine relevant experiences from your work experience, voluntary experiences and extra-curricular experiences.

Perhaps change the heading to ‘leadership experience’ if the employer requires leadership as a key skill. Similarly, ‘research experience’, ‘teamwork experience’ and ‘presentation experience’ are focused, specific headings related to skills.

5. Think like the employer

Whenever you write something on your CV, think like the employer. Will what you’re about to write be relevant and interesting to them? What can you write to inform the employer about the knowledge you’ve gained throughout your education? Will they understand your transferable skills from what you have written?

Bottom line;

Remember that your CV needs to market you. Ensure that it sells you well and resonates with potential employers.

Don’t allow your CV to let you down! Seek our Professional CV Writing Experts to help you impress that employer and land that job!