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One of the biggest challenges when it comes to a career change is giving your CV the punch it needs to make an impact in a new industry. You may think that little of what you have done before will count, but you'd be wrong. We all pick up and develop a wide range of skills that can be applied in many different roles.
What is a transferable skill?
As the name suggests, a transferable skill is something that can be taken with you and applied to any new job. These are core skills that all employers value, and include:
Making an impression at an interview is a great step towards getting a job, but first you have to make an impression with your CV. So if your CV is dull, full of mistakes or doesn’t tell a story about you, then you’ll be overlooked and won’t even get as far as an interview anyway.
What could possibly be the worst mistake you could make when it comes to your CV?
Not targeting it to the kind of job you’re looking for is a biggie. Leaving out keywords that a scanner can pick up is another no-no. So is failing to list your achievements in ways the reader will find meaningful.
But the biggest error of all in putting your CV together is simply this: being sloppy.
We have seen CVs over 30 pages long (true!) with photocopies certificates on top of that. This is not an autobiography you’re writing. It’s a curriculum vitae and it’s meant to be a lot shorter! A one-page CV if it is feasible is recommended – and some recruitment agencies, especially head-hunters, may insist on a one-page CV.
Make an effort to accommodate these five points when writing your CV and you’ll immediately be well above average.
Your CV is one of the most powerful weapons in your job-seeking armoury and is often the first point of contact with a potential boss, so it’s vital to make this document as powerful as possible.
There are two stages in this process:
You found a job you’re interested in online. Excited, you send off your CV along with a cover letter explaining why you would be perfect for the job and sit back and wait for their response. And wait. And wait. And three weeks later you're still waiting. Your early enthusiasm has disappeared and you've concluded your CV has fallen into a recruitment black hole.
How could your sixth-grade teacher, next-door neighbour, or golfing buddy comment on your management style, responsibilities or the quality of your performance on the job?
The answer: They can't.
