Well, your CV should reflect the current value of your skills, abilities and experience. So it is important to get an ideas of is worth. To do this, look at job advertisements in your vocational sector. Look at several advertisements and record their banding range (i.e. from the lowest to the highest).
How to put a figure on it?
Well, if you are just starting out (little or no experience) – look at the salaries, what they are offering on entry level posts? Take an average of the adverts that you have seen and then use this to give you an entry level figure.
If you have 2-3 years’ experience and similar qualifications, you might want to consider a value which is halfway through the banding range.
And if you have five or more years’ experience with an industry related qualifications at level 4 and above, your CV value should be at the top of the banding range.
Job profiles on career websites also can give you current rates of pay.
If you are unsure of this, Adzuma will scan your CV once you have uploaded it. Adzuma will look at the key wording and analysis your work history and will then you a market value. https://www.adzuna.co.uk/jobs/value-my-cv
When I did this, I was surprised, it was better than I thought!
If you are looking for a value on a global scale, obviously cost of living will play an important factor. Even within a country there can be regional rates differences. I live in Northern Ireland, which has lower housing rental costs than the rest of the UK., This is generally reflected with lower rates of pay, compared to rates of pay found in the rest of the UK .
The average rate of pay in Northern Ireland is £24 575 compare to £29 588 found in Great Britain.
Even if your CV is not hitting a $50 000 value, it is still important to tailor your CV. It must sound and look professional and contain relevant details. You must be willing to sell your skills in a way that will reach out to recruiters.
Speak the truth about your skills, you don't need to be shy! If you are good at something, let the recruiter know, (for who else is going to tell them?)
Now many CVs are never scanned by the human eye, but instead by ATS (Applicant Tracking System) Software. This software is designed to scan CVs for certain keys words and programmed criteria. So it becomes vital that your CV contains these words, otherwise, your CV will just keep going into the rejection pile.
You need to find out what the key words and phrases for your tailored CV.
So how can you do this?
Well, the easiest way to do this is to first select at least 3 job advertisements, from the same sector and then using a highlighter pen - highlight the keywords and phrases.
Now include these highlighted words and phrases, when you are drafting your professional summary and key competencies.
Keep your professional summary short to about 4-5 sentences. When you are identifying key information make it specific.
Example - Job Advertisement for Tailored CV
We are a leading provider of enterprise applications (1) empowering people in service organisations. We enable people to use business applications at work or at school.
Our sales and marketing team is looking for a marketing manager. Are you the one who can co-ordinate and manage conferences, exhibitions and events to support brand awareness, thought leadership positioning and the generation of high-quality leads?(2) Join our team and apply now!
Position: Marketing Manager
Location: Belfast
What you will do:
You will coordinate marketing campaigns (3) with sales activities
You will manage and improve lead generation campaigns (4), measuring results
You will plan and implement promotional campaigns (5) and local marketing strategies
You will oversee the company’s marketing budget (6)
Example Tailored CV – in response to job advertisement
Personal Statement
A Marketing Manager with over five years’ experience in coordinating marketing strategies for the IT sector. My area of expertise is the developing enterprise applications (1) and the generation of high-quality leads(2). I lead over 10 international marketing campaigns and I have an excellent track record in cooperation with sales departments. I am seeking to leverage my experience in Marketing Manager Positions.
Key Competencies
· Project Management including coordinate marketing campaigns (3)
· Excellent Lead Analysis and evaluating lead generation campaigns (4)
· B2B Marketing Strategies
· Managing various teams who plan and implement various promotional campaigns (5)
· Analysis and management of various marketing budgets (6)
· Software: MS Word, MS Excel, MS Powerpoint, MS Project & Mailchimp
After you have written your professional summary, go back and read over it.
Can you improve it?
Are there any places that you can include power words?
Power words are - words that smart copywriters use to trigger a psychological or emotional response.
Examples of these are executed, organised, oversaw, planned, created, designed, implemented and one word I really like - orchestrated .
For more examples on these words go to:
After you have done this - ask a friend or family member to read over what you have written and see if any other improvements can be made.
For key competencies it is best to include at least 5.
Look at the two phrases below:
1. I was a member of the customer service team
2. As a member customer service team, I suggested and put in place ways to improve customer satisfaction for retail operations
Both these are explaining your role in customer service, however, sentence 2 has more detail. This is exactly what recruiters are looking for
Another example
1. Operated a forklift and stocktaking system
2. Whilst working as a forklift operator and using the stocktaking systems, I found five ways to make the process more efficient and accurate
Another example
· Good communicator at all levels.
This can be improved by writing:
· As Ward Nurse, it was important to be able to communicate with a variety of staff ranging from cleaners to consultants.
Or
· Working with patients and their relatives requires the ability to communicate complex medical information and to handle difficult situations with tact and sensitivity.
Again the major difference is in the detail. Always give examples with the identifcation of your key competencies.
The recommended order for a CV is:
· Contact Details
· Professional Summary
· Core Competencies and achievements
· Education
· Training / Volunteering / Awards
· Hobbies and Interests
· Referees
However, depending on the level of information that you need to include, you can exclude the hobbies and interests section. While it is good to include some personal information on yourself, this section is not as relevant as the others.
To keep your CV looking tailored – you don’t need to list every qualification - only the ones that are relevant and the recruiter/job advertisement have specified for. If you don't have them, you won't be selected, so please don't waste your time applying.
All CVs should either be 1 or 2 pages in length. It is good practice to place your name and mobile number in either a header or a footer, on each sheet.
When sending your CV as an attachment to a recruiter always and I stress ALWAYS send your attached CV with your full name and job sector.
Example
CV.Paula.Donnan.Personal.Development.Coach
This will bring recognition to your name and areas of expertise but it also makes it very identifiable. I use this method when saving CVs that I hold for clients. It does becomes extremely important when I have 2 or 3 different vocational CV for the same client. So when Mary or Joe ask me to send their CV for the marketing or retail sectors - I know exactly where to go to find it on my PC. It may not see that important but really helps the recruit identify applicants, especially when they are scanning through hundreds of different emails.
A tailored CV does takes longer to produce but it is so worth the extra effort. If it's done properly, it will then get detected by the ATS software and placed into the hands of the recruiter. This is what a good CV is all about.
So just remember when you are applying for that job whether it is at £18 000, £25 000 or £555 000, the details, the tailoring, professional format and wording on your CV account for everything and will reinforce the value of your skills.
