If you want to nail that all-important job interview, leading occupational pschologist and career doctor Barbara Worembrand offers job applicants some practical advice to help land their dream assignment:
1. The CV has to be a marketing document, not a bland, boring list of facts. You need to literally ‘sell yourself’ by differentiating your unique blend of talents, abilities, skills, personality and if possible your direct and extensive experience. Your competition in this current market is everywhere. Think of yourself as the product and the brand. English culture, which generally values modesty, downplaying of achievements, humility and fair play is changing – fast. Being explicit counts in the current job market. Selling yourself should not be embarrassing;
2. The tone needs to be short, punchy and performance-
3. Start with your name and contact details at the very top, using minimum space. You need a Header - a powerful 30 word statement that tells it all: who you are in terms of what you can offer that is unique: ‘Innovative and results-driven Marketing Director with an international track record in...’ and what you are looking for ‘…seeking new challenges within a progressive organisation…
4. There are two types of CVs – chronological and functional. The former is advised if your career has gone the traditional route, showing consistent progression with your last position being the most impressive. The functional type should be used if someone wants to change careers, has less experience or has moved around too much (or has stayed in one job for more than five years). The strategy here is to distract the reader's attention from dates which may not work in your favour. /MF
CAREER DOCTOR SHOWS HOW TO MAKE YOUR CV/2
5. The CV should be structured as follows: your contact details at the top, followed by your plus/minus 30 word professional statement, then Career History (job title and dates in reverse chronological order) and then Education and Training, also in reverse chronological order; and finally Leisure Interests.
6. At the end of each bullet-pointed statement, include a tangible achievement if possible. You are demonstrating your level of performance, not inadvertently relaying facts about the job itself. It is your role in it that counts. These are ‘transferable skills’, meaning literally that what you have achieved to date you will transfer to the new working environment.
7. Mention your leisure interests at the end so that the employer will know something about you. However, beware! If you say that you are a team player in the header, do not flag up only solitary leisure activities. Moreover, no contentious or dangerous hobbies or political or religious affiliations.
8. Never lie on your CV. Even though the winner of The Apprentice got away with it last year, this is a very risky strategy. .Making your strengths and achievements visible and preferably quantifiable – ‘blowing your own trumpet’ - is not lying.
9. Never exceed two pages of A4 and use your spellcheck! Your overall presentation is critical. No photos are needed, unless you are going for a modelling or TV presenting job.
10. With current legislation regarding age, it is not imperative to give your date of birth within the Personal Details section at the end.
ENDS
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Vyvyan Kinross, Division of Occupational Psychology Press Office. Tel: +44 (0) 20 8580 9785. EM: vkinross@silverfoxtraining.com.;
NOTE TO EDITORS
1. Barbara Worembrand is a noted independent occupational psychologist who works as a consultant across the private and public sectors both in the UK and abroad. She is a sought after speaker and member of the Division of Occupational Psychology, British Psychological Society (www.pow-bps.com)
Ref: bps/20009/
