Doing the groundwork is the key to beating the job searching blues. In fact, according to SA’s top people organisation, Kelly, the start of your job searching should include a thorough audit of your CV and research into what jobs are on offer that match your skills and experience.

Chief Operating Officer, Gayleen Baxter says, “Before commencing any project, you need to assess what you have and what you need. Job searching is no different. It is critical that your CV depicts the skills and qualities needed for the job.”

Your CV must reflect your experience and skills before you send it to recruiters. A red-hot CV is the only way to get noticed among the thousands received by recruiters daily. A mediocre CV runs the risk of landing in file thirteen as recruiters sift through piles of CVs that simply do not attract attention.

“How you say things are as important as what you say in your CV.” says Baxter. “Every word counts in a competitive job market. With so many CVs’ crossing their desks, recruiters are trained to seek out key words that alert them to the fact that you are the right candidate for the job. These include phrases specific to the industry, qualifications, experience, reference to key soft skills required for the job and previous employer references.”

Remember, your CV is not a means to exaggerate achievements or a compilation of cut-and-paste snippets and scribbled notes in a Word document. A CV is your advertisement and should be designed to make the reader react.

Kelly offers some tips to add value to your CV:

• Keep it simple. CVs should be easy to read and understand. Make sure you communicate clearly that you have the skills and experience needed for the job. A typed CV is better than a hand-written one.

• The right information. A CV is about information. Make sure all information is spot on, including your contact details, qualifications (attach copies), employment history (with start and end dates and salaries at each employer), a brief, but accurate, summary of experience gained and contact details of references.

• Honesty. Not only is it the right thing to do, it is the smart thing to do. Recruiters verify the information. These include reference checks, credit and criminal checks, employment and qualifications checks.

• Why should you get a shot at the job? Your CV should not just list your skills and qualifications, but past performance is a key indicator of future behaviour. Provide examples of how your skills and experience have added value to previous employers.

So armed with a hot CV how do you land that interview? Kelly offers some more advice:

• Focus. Don’t just send your CV everywhere and anywhere; focus your job search. Respond only to job adverts that are relevant to your skills and experience otherwise you are simply wasting valuable job searching time.

• Network. This may seem more difficult than it looks, but it can get your foot into some doors. Speak to past colleagues; some may know about a vacancy. Drop a hint to friends and family at social gatherings; you never know when an opportunity arises.

• Get involved in industry associations. Industry bodies are great places to network. You meet influential industry specialists. Being on committees can also only be good for you. Offer your help to industry bodies.

• Be aware. Read daily job vacancy ads in the media and on the internet. Keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities, but remember to respond only to jobs for which your skills and experience is suited.

Baxter concludes, “It is important to get it right when searching for a job. Having a CV that shows professionalism and ability gets you noticed. Best the job searching blues by ensuring you focus your job search and doing the right things!”

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