Version Anxiety - The Applicants Nightmare
From Steve Holmes, who applies for over 1000 jobs each year!
Received wisdom tells you that for every job you apply to you
need a new version of your CV and covering letter. This advice
causes more lost time and high anxiety than any other in the
careers field and it is completely wrong.
The so-called experts on CV writing, that is journalists who
have read what other experts said five years ago, will always
give you this advice but I have only had 20 clients out of 3000
in the last decade who needed two separate versions of their CV.
Usually all you need is one core CV document and one letter
skeleton that you can adjust if and when the occasion arises.
Your main goal is to show that you have understood what the
recruiter is looking for and can meet or exceed their requirements.
You do not have to address every single point in the personal
specification individually - you can summarise and use language
in an elegant way that will make you appear more intelligent.
The letter of application is a golden opportunity to express
your vision and your ability to provide solutions; it needs to
be brief, rhythmic and brilliant... even daring.
If you have a CV with a logical structure and sequence that
fully reflects your abilities it will probably stand as it
is for any application you make in your field. That is why w
hen the CV is originally created it needs to express all the
functionality and achievement in your career.
The originator of that wrong advice making everyone panic was
probably a recruitment consultant 20 years ago who was sick to
death of boring and irrelevant CVs. It doesn't apply to you,
today, because you won't be making dull, conventional and
information-starved applications.
A "talking CV" and a lively letter will stand you in good
stead for almost any occasion; have them ready on your computer
for when opportunity comes; don't wait and then panic in the
false belief that every application needs creating anew.
Written by Steve Holmes
Steves site offers C.V. services and solutions for any and all
disciplines, you can check it out at:
Email: s.holmes@btinternet.com
URL: http://www.cvspecial.co.uk
