Have you been asking yourself where you want to be in your career in the next year? If so, it’s worth beginning to think about your CV (curriculum vitae/resume).
The CV of any white collar contractor (Independent Professional/IPro) requires a format unique to their form of engagement. In order to craft a more professional and effective advertisement of your skills, avoid these common mistakes next time you’re faced with the arduous task of updating your CV.
- Exaggerating – It might be tempting to slightly embellish your past experience to make it a little more attractive, but all it takes is a call to a reference or a quick google search for potential clients to catch you out. Mistruths found out will only earn you a guaranteed rejection. Keep things honest and work on showcasing the achievements and niche skills you’ve picked up along the way.
- Using a generic CV – Resist the urge to showcase every job you have ever had and instead focus on those that are pertinent or useful for the job you are applying for. Lay out your CV in a manner that prioritises work that instilled you with training, skills or experience that will directly help you in the new contract you’re applying for.
- Making it all about you – Your CV is obviously focused on what you have done, but the tone should always be about what you can offer. Your CV will usually only receive a cursory glance before it’s put into a yes or no pile, so don’t waste time talking about your hobbies, interests or why you want the contract. Use the limited space you have to sell how you can help the client and their end-clients.
- Over-designing the CV – Use clean, basic formatting to present your information. Avoid colourful or elaborate fonts and large chunks of text and use bullet points to keep things clear. Finally, lose the photo. Unless you are an actor it is unnecessary and unprofessional.
- Listing your references – If the interviewer is interested enough they will ask you to provide references, so it isn’t really necessary to include these details on your CV– unless explicitly stated of course. This also allows you to give your reference some warning to ensure they are ready to answer any specific questions the client may have. As references are mandatory, the traditional ‘references available upon request’ is also redundant and simply a waste of space.
The effectiveness of your CV could make or break your chances of landing your next contract. Keep things honest, professional and specific to the contract role to bolster your chances of getting the contracts you want in the year ahead.
