CV Development

Purposes of a CV

• Your CV is a personal marketing tool. It is an essential part of the job search campaign because it is an important tool used in securing an interview, as such; your CV must attract attention, create interest and provoke action: an interview.
• A CV is a written Summary of your education, work experience, professional skill and interests. Your CV documents your value as a potential employee.
• A CV is a sample of your ability to organize and express yourself in writing, clearly, concisely and neatly.
• Your CV is an important step in Interview preparation because it focuses your attention on your strengths and accomplishments.
• During an interview, your CV can serve as your point of reference. Many interviewers will base their questions on the content of your CV- so in a sense you can help guide the course of your interviews by preparing a CV of high quality.

Before you Begin …… Prepare!.....

Know yourself

Which experiences are relevant to your current job search and what competencies did you develop or strengthen as a result of those experiences? 

Know your Audience:

You should target your CV to your audience. What level or types of positions are you seeking?

What skills and experience are necessary for these work environments? Does your experience match the requirements? If so, you will be able to organise your CV to “fit” each job you seek. 

 

SELF – ASSESSMENT SKILLS

Many people tend to believe that they have few marketable skills, especially if they have limited work experience.

You need to remember, however, that your skills come from many sources. You don’t have to be paid to learn a skill

You may have developed special abilities in classes and workshops as well as through informal jobs like, industrial attachment, volunteer work and even hobbies.

Skills fall into three categories: 

Technical / content or Job-specific skills, which usually require special training or education – these you acquire through academic training i.e. from College, University etc  

 

Note:

If you lack the appropriate technical / content skills for a position, you probably won’t even get an interview for the job. 

2. Adaptive skills / self management skills

Example, loyalty and punctuality which pertain to you work style; 

 

Note:

If you have poor adaptive skills, you may not be able to keep your job. The primary reasons people get fired involve such poor adaptive skills such as dishonesty, working too slowly, failing to follow orders, not being reliable and not being to get along with co-workers. 

Transferable skills, example, leadership, decision making, which are applicable in many different work settings – you acquire those through professional / college clubs. Work etc

 

NOTE:

Transferable skills, on the other hand, are among the characteristics employers look most closely for in potential employees. Most recruiters have said that they are seeking candidates with good:-

• Leadership Skills
• Teamwork skills
• Problem – solving skills
• Communication skills
• Decision – making skills
• “People” Skill