Why is important that you write a personalized CV?

¿Cómo puedes redactar un CV que deje tu huella personal?

Since I have started working as a Career Advisor I have seen many CV´s as you can imagine. One thing that has stroke me is to see the lack of personalization on candidates´ CV. General statements were the norm, lack of detailed achievements and the sensation that the CV wasn´t showing the real person behind all those text.

So if you really don´t want to make the recruiter feel that there are thousands out there saying exactly the same as you, here you have some useful tips to make your personality come through.

1. Are you keen on fancy fonts and new digital formats?

You´ve always heard the advice of keeping it simple, maximum 2 A4 pages with a font that can be read nicely. There is a lot of debate regarding fonts, I can say that I use Calibri but it also depends on the candidate. But let´s go to the subject in hand, yes, that advice is still applicable, however bear in mind each country and industry can have its own specific rules, please don´t forget cultural fit. More and more we see interesting ways of presenting yourself Prezy, Slideshare, personal websites, videos… What do you think is the best solution for you?
Here I will quote the whole text of “Undercover Recruitment website” you can find the link at the end of this post.
“If you are considering using a more modern way of presenting yourself such as video or Slideshare then take into account the type of company you are applying to. If it is within the creative industry, then they will probably appreciate a more imaginative approach, whereas an accountancy firm is likely to be more traditional.”
So here you really need to do some researching, have a look at their website, talk to other people of your field that are job-hunting… What I have found is that a good resume/CV in pdf format for engineering and finance positions seems to be the norm. If you are working in marketing/advertising/fashion/creative design or even if you have become a self-employed consultant you can normally use different formats.

However, if you have not really worked out your career objective, your strengths and accomplishments, no matter how fancy you have prepared your digital presentation, it won´t work. Don´t lose yourself, the recruiter needs to get a feel of who you really are.

That previous analysis- accomplishments, strengths, personality treats– is what I do with my clients, the pre-CV work is really key to present yourself in a personalized way.

2. Have you only added a list of tasks and general statements?

So are you a organised person? Great communicator? Flexible? Can you show it adding some evidence on the CV? Recruiters want to see some examples, it´s not only claiming you are so wonderful that will make you be picked up from the pile of CV´s. Back up what you say with examples if you don´t do it somebody else will and your CV will be left out. If you find it difficult to find some evidence, use the STAR method. Think about a Situation, Task, Action and Result you can find more information about this watching this YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nN7Q7DrI6Q

3. What about adding a photo to your CV?

As you already know some countries request that you add a photo to your CV, while others are not expecting you to add it as and it will be seen strange or shocking by recruiters. This has been the case in the UK and Anglo-Saxon countries. However is this changing?

Taking in consideration they will check your online profile it seems that they are getting used to see one. So if you decide to add one, please take in consideration you are showing your personal brand here, so go for quality as you have done in your online profiles. Image consistency is also important, so don´t start displaying a variety of pictures.
My advice here is to leave it outside the CV if you are applying to countries that are not used to see one, adding your LinkedIn profile on the top of your CV will lead them to see your picture -it will mean that they have read your CV and they are interested in knowing more about yourself-.

4. Do you think adding hobbies or interests is a waste of space?

You might have been told that if you are a young graduate or junior professional interests are relevant and should be added. Having said that, more companies are not only recruiting only considering skills and experience “It is important to demonstrate your personality, as employers are more likely to take on like-minded people and interests and hobbies play apart in this”. I am sure you have heard about cultural fit, employers want to make sure you will be productive and happy working for them. So it might not hurt that you are not working 24/7, on the contrary, you are taking time for yourself to enjoy and relax.

5. Have you thought about picking up the phone?

One of my LinkedIn´s contact have just shared her post about the importance of ” telemarketing”. 

I agree that it might feel daunting to start using the phone, but it really makes a difference. I do it for my clients and they know it´s worth it. I would like to quote why it´s so relevant ” By ringing the recruiter or employer and speaking to them directly, it will not only give you the opportunity to show the real you, but it will also make you more memorable in the process”
In summary if you think that marketing yourself is something you need to improve I will advise to look out for some help here. The advantages are clear, you can really shine through and get more job interviews :).

To read the full article you can go to http://theundercoverrecruiter.com/inject-personality-resume/