New Year, New CV!

At the beginning of a new year, we often think about new starts and new ambitions. I always advise my clients to ensure that their CVs are kept up-to-date all year around, but a new year gives new impetus and a chance to draw a line under the past. It’s important to get the tone right in your profile. You need to look closely at how you word your CV, the language you use and if that language is a true reflection of yourself and your values.

True reflections

I’m working with a client at the moment who had already prepared a CV with another Consultant. My client voiced the concern to me that she was not entirely happy about some of the language used – e.g. words such as ‘robust’. As she’d been advised by a professional to put them in, she had taken the advice, but was uncomfortable. Was she tough but fair and robust? She didn’t think so.

This is often the case, as advice often steers decisions. If someone who is a professional provides guidance and assistance, then a client tends to follow it. This shouldn’t always be the case, however. A client should never feel uncomfortable about any word in their CV. I always reiterate to my clients that it’s their CV, not mine, and they should feel confident with it. It’s something that has to represent them to potential employers. If the true you isn’t reflected in the text of the CV, then it will be difficult to prove your worth when they employ you and discover there’s a disparity between page and person. This is why you should never let other people put their words into your mouth, because it won’t be a fair representation of you and might even get you the wrong type of role.

Your personal brand

It’s also a two-way challenge. What I may suggest can be challenged by the client, to make sure we get everything across, but in the right context. In this way, the CV will be illustrative of the person, their experience, their qualifications and their aptitude for the role. If the role requires a ‘tough but fair’ person, with a ‘robust’ character, then make sure you have these qualities – or perhaps that particular role isn’t for you. It’s always a challenge to make a really strong CV, one that will convince prospective employers of their candidate’s strengths and breadth of knowledge. You can always learn new skills and evolve in ways that may need demonstrating in your CV, which is why updating is so important.

The new year is such a good time to dust down that CV. Just ensure that it’s a proper reflection of your personal brand.