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A day in the life of a CV

Understanding what happens to your CV once it leaves your hands can help you make the most of the one shot you have.

You spend hours, days even, getting your CV right; proof-reading it and making sure it’s the best you can do, but what happens to it once you press that ‘send’ button, or once you drop it into the postbox? By spending a little time thinking about what happens to your CV once it’s out of your hands you can make sure you’ve given it your very best shot.

The first challenge is to get your CV into human hands in the first place. Many companies now have searchable software on their computers – when CVs are uploaded, they are scanned by the computer for particular key words – words that match the search criteria for the job advertised. Only if these key words show up on your CV will it get through to the next round. “I always tell clients that your CV needs to be on the front page of Google,” says Louise Fifield, a CV expert with CV Checker. “As more and more companies use search technology and techniques to scan CVs, you need to make sure yours includes the right key words and search terms that will take it to the top of the pile.”

So, when you get your email alert from Jobsite, check it first to see if you have the right abilities and qualifications that it is asking for in the job description. Then, make sure your CV matches the job description. If the job requires qualifications, your CV must include them. If it is more of a management role, make sure your CV includes active key words such as initiative, influencing, motivation, leadership, problem-solving. These key words should be throughout your CV but especially prominent in your profile section at the start of your CV.

The next hurdle is how to make your CV stand out from all the other CVs. You won’t be the only candidate to have the right qualifications and skills, just as your CV won’t be the only CV to contain the right key words and search criteria. So how do you get your CV through to the next stage? “This is where your achievements kick in,” says Louise. “Everyone has negotiation or communication skills, they’ve all hit targets or streamlined business, so now you need to mention the unique things about you that you’ve accomplished. Talk about the successes you have enjoyed in your career. Demonstrate how you have used your skills to be successful in your job. It’s all about backing up your claims with proof and evidence, and selling your achievements.”

It seems straightforward, but with all the hard work you put into creating your CV, it can be quite demoralising to feel that it is not getting the attention it deserves. However, that is today’s reality and with such a competitive jobs market, it’s even more important that you understand the CV process. “You have a 20-second window of opportunity to sell yourself: it might all seem very quick and efficient, but there’s no reason why your CV can’t be quick and efficient too,” says Louise. “If you work those key words into your CV then back them up with your achievements that should be perfect.”

If you would like, you can have your CV Checked for free here.

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avatar Vince 4 March 2010 Career advice
  • Lorriane

    Very helpful but again we are being info that will possibly cost us money we cannot afford expecially if been made redundant as Jobseekers Allowance is only a minimum amount.I ahve sent off over 30 applications since Nov2009 and have not even been offered an interview.But perhaps with a bit of CV tweaking using the advice given by Denise I might have more luck.

  • ondrej nosal

    Went step by step trying to copy professional CV’s which I’ve found on Google and still no luck. It’s been 4 months and used words you just mentioned above .. don’t know what to do ,please help , thanks
    Sincerely
    Ondrej Nosal

  • David Alliss

    Jobs in my field of work, ( manufacturing ), are very often advertised by employment agencies who act as “gatekeepers” for the client / company actually offering the vacancy. I have never yet been offered a follow up phone call or interview after applying for these types of vacancies. I think that most agencies don’t actually have any of these jobs on offer, they are just collecting names and addresses so they can go to clients and tell them they have workers waiting for work. No amount of CV tweaking will get you a job in these circumstances.

  • James

    When I was out of work I sent off a CV/application to 10-20 vacances per week. I understand that quality is better than quantity but you can’t wait for luck.

  • Ibo Neumann

    In Germany an agency I was sent to by the Arbeitsamt (German stateowned work agency) told me stright to cheat in the CV, because I had to many unemployment gaps within my CV, They told me to write self-emplyed. Soon later I had a job in the Netherlands based on a honest CV. Now, I am again unemplyed and keep looking for the next working poor job somewhere and I am told I am hired because I lack a reference from my last emplyer, but I have some interviews.
    In the end of the day it is tough and not any easier for the recruite agent to suggest and select office workers on the lower end of society. Good luck is needed.

  • Chris

    I sympathise with Lorriane’s comment about Jobseekers Allowance (the poor payment is bad enough let alone the degrading manner in which applying for and dealing with the whole process makes you feel). Additionally; there is no effective practical help offered by the Jobseekers service that even comes close to the help and advice being offered by on-line experts. The advice provided by on-line experts will certainly improve your chances of getting your next job. However, I believe that there is an element of short-sightedness by web sites advertising vacancies and are linked to on-line experts that charge for advice and experience. The need to pay for advice that can make the difference on getting your CV accepted or not means that the clients are not necessarily getting the best candidates for available roles. Unfortunately, it is service that is heavily in demand which ensures there will always be a cost to the most important advice which means that those who can afford it will benefit more than those who cannot.

  • George Lee

    After I had completed my MBA at Warwick University, I was instantly provided a good job(30K Market Research Anaylst). It was a dream for the months I was working until redundancy appeared. I could not get a job anywhere so I was forced to move back home. I found a job but only after I decided not to include my degree or previous work information. Alas the company which hired me was Woolworths! Now having been unemployed for a year I have to attend TNG employment agency once a week so the job centre will continue paying me my pittance. It is a degrading experience having being taught about CV’s and job interviews through the use of cartoon animals on worksheets. They seem to believe the reason we are all unemployed is because we have poor CV’s and absolutely nothing to do with redundency.

  • Georgie

    I had a job for me after University but was made redundant. Then the only way to get another job was to omit my degree from my CV but alas the job which I got next was with Woolworths. Now after a year of depressing unemployment I have to attend a job agency once a week where they believe the only reason we are unemployed is because of our dreadful CV’s and nothing to do with redundency.

  • Clare

    Your link following the article offers s free CV check. Extremely valuable I thought being on the job seekers allowance only. How disappointed I was to find the link only leads to a CV checker site that take all your details and then requests payment for any service. What exactly does your statement h”have your CV checked here for free” refer to? I will do anything to get help but funds are extremely limited.

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