Hello Street Squad and welcome to another captivating episode in our journey from Street to Suit.
We have discussed the importance of Curriculum Vitae (CV) in Job searching. However, it is important to examine the rule that states that “One CV doesn’t work for all jobs.”
Tailoring your CV to match the specific job you’re applying for is an important prerequisite to getting the job. Avoid applying for different or even similar jobs with the same CV.
Understandably, applying for jobs can be a herculean task and might not be so rewarding. However, have you ever wondered why your 100 applications came back with negative responses? Are you just blaming it on village people or would you rather examine the problem closely? Applying for 100 jobs in different organizations and sectors with the same CV is not the smartest thing to do.
Imagine applying for your dream job and already picturing your dream life with your dream salary only to receive a negative response because your CV wasn’t tailored to match the company’s requirements.
Shall we now step out of dreamland and examine what you have been doing wrong?
Here are some helpful tips to aid your job application process:
- Read and Understand the Job Requirement: I know this is your 156th application but what is worth doing at all is worth doing excellently. The goal is to get the job, isn’t it? Read and digest the job requirements. Note the keywords used by the recruiter.
- Compare the Job Requirements with your CV: Read your CV through the lens of a recruiter. Do you like what you see? Would you consider you for the job? Is your CV in tandem with the job requirement? Self-assessment might be difficult but it is important in this case. You can take it a step further and ask a friend to assess it for you.
- Tweak Your CV: Tweaking your CV might be as simple as editing your profile. All that might be needed to optimize your CV could be as simple as adding some of the keywords used by the recruiter to your profile. You need to determine which skills are most important for the recruiter and include them prominently in your CV. It is okay not to meet all requirements. Just ensure your most suitable experiences and strengths are highlighted. For example, if one of the most important requirements for the job is proficiency in Microsoft Office tools, ensure it is properly highlighted in your CV. Great jobs have a huge disadvantage – You are one of thousands of applicants. Imagine you were a recruiter, how time-consuming it would be to read every applicant’s complete CV. Most recruiters use resume screening software that collect, sort, rank, and scan applications. These software help weed out applications that don’t meet the job requirement.
- Arrangement: Tailoring your CV to match the Job requirements goes beyond just editing a few words here and there. The traditional method of arranging job experience in the CV is from the current/latest job to the oldest job. It doesn’t necessarily have to be that way. You could arrange it from the most relevant to the least relevant job experience.
- Avoid Unnecessary information: You should only put necessary information on your resume. Being the head boy in your elementary school is not the important leadership experience you think it is. Avoid unnecessary clutter. Keep it concise. Look up CV templates on the internet as a guide.
- Quality Over Quantity: 10 great applications are better than 100 poor applications. It is more productive to take your time to ace one application than shooting at applications randomly and without adequate structuring. Your dream job won’t settle for mediocrity so you have to ensure that when you aim, it’s with almost perfect precision. Tailor your CV carefully and seek external help when needed.
- Stay Motivated: It is very easy to fall into the temptation of using the same CV for multiple job applications. However, if the goal is to get the job you want, you have to be intentional about the application process. Treat every job application as if it were your last, and put your best foot forward. Once you have completed an application, pretend you have already been rejected and attack the next as fervently as you can. Dora the explorer doesn’t give up until the treasure is in her cute little purple bag. Jane the job seeker must also not give up until she secures her dream job.
Best of Luck!
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