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CV & Résumé Writing Advice: Interview with Debra Wheatman
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Jun 3, 2024
When it comes to creating the perfect CV or résumé, there are differing opinions on what the document should look like. So, how can you meet employer expectations with your own CV document? We spoke with Debra Wheatman, President of Careers Done Write, to gain further insight into the best CV writing practices for 2021. During the interview, Debra dives into the topic of CV writing and shares valuable tips that can help you create an outstanding document that will set you apart from other job applicants. For more CV and résumé tips, check out: https://bit.ly/3h2P0Rk #cvadvice #résuméadvice #jobapplication #cvwriting #résuméwriting #bestcv #bestrésumé #cv2021 #ats ________________________________________________________________________ TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Introduction 00:10 What tips would you offer to someone writing their CV? 02:12 What type of skills are employers generally looking for? 04:02 What layout would you recommend for the average CV? 05:57 What should applicants not include on their CV? 08:28 How can applicants beat an ATS system? _________________________________________________________________________ Visit our site and follow CareerAddict:
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0:00
What tips would you offer someone writing their CV in 2021
0:14
Well, like any good job seeker, you should always be doing your research
0:18
It's important to research the mission, the vision, the values of the company
0:23
Make sure you understand if it's a good fit. One of the things that we all have to do when looking for work is look at the company
0:31
Make sure that professionally you think it aligns with your goals and that it also aligns with anything personal that you're looking for
0:39
Of course, review the job description. One of the things that people fall into a trap about is not paying careful enough attention to what the job description says
0:50
Looking at the job description will provide you with an opportunity to clearly see where your skills, your background, your experiences match the role of the position for which you're applying
1:01
Be sure to include key words on your resume. This is an important step because you want to make sure that you have a good match between the elements that are expected from the role and the information that is contained in your resume
1:17
Focus on your achievements. Achievements are a critical component of making sure that you capture the attention of the hiring manager
1:24
Achievements set you apart. They demonstrate that past performance is indicative of future success
1:32
It doesn't have to be 100% match, but you want to make sure that your achievements are on there
1:37
They really sell you and they capture the elements that you bring to the job
1:42
Keep the style of the resume clean. Make sure it's easy to read
1:46
Don't include a lot of block text or have a situation where there's a bunch of paragraphs and people have to read through the resume
1:58
It should be written more in a staccato style so that people can quickly scan and find the information that they're looking for
2:06
This will also help get through the applicant tracking system. What types of skills are employers generally looking for
2:15
Well, when an employer hires a new employee, of course they want someone who's going to bring some positivity to the role
2:23
Positive employees foster a sense of camaraderie, teamwork, and just a general happiness throughout the organization
2:32
Positive people are proven to be more productive and they add more value internally
2:38
Also, employers want people who work well independently as well as part of a team
2:44
You have to be able to complete projects on your own, but also contribute to the broader goals of the organization
2:51
And oftentimes that work is done in a team oriented environment. Next, employers want people who can take direction well and execute effectively
3:02
Take a project and see it from inception to a successful completion on time and generally on budget
3:11
They want people who can adapt to change, especially now and ongoing
3:17
Companies are changing and they're changing at a rapid speed. They want employees who are good with transformation, good with change
3:25
They can adapt and be nimble in the face of an organizational change
3:31
Leadership is another core area that employers want of their employees. Having a good leadership profile drives success of the overall organization as well as for the employee
3:44
Finally, employers want people who have good problem solving skills. The ability to look for things and find solutions to sometimes intractable situations will allow for employee and employer success
4:01
What layout would you recommend for the average CV? The reverse chronological format is perhaps the easiest and best layout for an average CV
4:13
Next, create a header at the top of the CV with your name, contact email, contact phone number, and also your LinkedIn URL
4:23
As people will go check out your LinkedIn as part of looking at your overall background and make sure that those things are connected
4:31
Write a strong, polished summary at the top of the CV. The top third really is the area that presents you with an opportunity to deliver the most measurable and meaningful impact
4:45
Once you grab the reader's attention there, they will continue to read for more information
4:51
Next, include a key competency section. The key competencies are important to tie your experience to actual key words that set you apart
5:02
This will also work well when going through the applicant tracking system
5:06
After the core competency section, include your professional working experience. This means that you will include the name of the company, your title, the location, and dates of employment, followed by the achievements in each of the roles you held
5:23
Where possible, include numbers to demonstrate your successes. This will show that past performance is indicative of future success
5:33
Next, include your education and any additional information. Your education should include the name of your school, the degree you conferred, and when you graduated
5:44
After that, you'll want to include any awards or volunteer information as a way to demonstrate some other personal attributes and serve as an icebreaker
6:01
For starters, applicants should not include an objective statement on their CV
6:06
The employer is not likely to care too much about what you want when searching for a role
6:12
They actually want to know what you can do for them. Next, don't include a relevant experience
6:18
You don't have too much time to get your point across. Including a relevant experience or things that you don't want to do will not set you up for success
6:28
Leave off hobbies or interests. Again, you don't have a lot of room, and it's really much more important that you convey your accomplishments and examples of your work with measurable achievements
6:42
so that your background and the information contained on your CV sets you up to contribute in a new environment
6:50
Don't include overly complex formatting, embedded graphs, or images. This will create a problem when you're trying to upload your CV into any applicant tracking systems
7:02
They can also be very distracting and create a problem with the rest of the text on the page
7:09
Do not include an unprofessional email. Your email should not include any birth year or anything that gives away your age
7:17
Keep your email address clear, concise, short, and professional. Do not list your full mailing address on the CV
7:29
Nobody is going to be sending you a letter. Likely, you will receive an email or a phone call
7:35
Do not include multiple phone numbers on your CV. This is just distracting and can cause confusion
7:43
List one cell phone number where you are most readily available, and make sure to include a message that is professional should the caller go to voicemail
7:53
Don't include a list of references on your CV. When the time comes, you will be asked to supply references
8:00
and at that time, you will be able to send the name of a person, their associated phone number and email address
8:08
so the potential hiring resource can reach out for a full reference
8:13
Finally, do not include salary information on your CV. This is not the time to let people know how much you're earning or what you're looking for
8:22
You'll be able to negotiate that when the time comes. To increase your chances of getting hired, you first need to make it through the applicant tracking system
8:35
Here are some tips and best practices to help you navigate the ATS
8:39
Only apply for jobs for which you're qualified. This does not mean you have to have an exact match between your CV and the job description
8:47
What it does mean is that there needs to be a connection. Next, be selective about the positions for which you apply in one company
8:55
You don't want to appear unfocused with multiple applications for multiple positions
9:01
Use relevant keywords and tie those keywords back to the description. You should have information that presents clear, concise, measurable and impactful information
9:11
that delivers the value that you offer a potential hiring manager. Use basic language and avoid acronyms
9:20
Spell everything out on your CV so that it goes through the ATS cleanly
9:24
Keep your CV clear and free of clutter, including embedded images or graphs
9:31
will potentially create a problem when uploaded into the ATS. Submit the right type of file
9:38
Follow the instructions for the file type when you submit online to ensure that it is presented in the ATS in the proper format
9:46
Finally, update your social sites. The name of the companies you've worked for, the titles you've held
9:52
and the dates of employment should all match your CV. www.ats.gov.au
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