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CV Help

CV help - when you're looking for a new job, whether you have just experienced redundancy, you want to return after a career break or you're simply looking for a new challenge, having a great CV is vital. But what is a great CV? Have you got one? Do you need some CV help? If you have created a CV, how well do you think it sells you? You may be competing with up to 200 other applicants for a job and 80% of recruiters only read the first page of your CV. Even then, they may take about 10 seconds to decide whether you will get an interview or not, a chance offered to only a handful of applicants.

• Key CV basics - you'll find the key basics around how to build a competent DIY CV on the site for free here. You can download a CV sample, a job hunting tracking sheet, and a more comprehensive guide than we have room for here, at the bottom of this page. 
• CV writing books - all this advice about creating winning CV's and interview tips is also in the New Life Handbook or you can visit the New Life Bookshop for our other recommended titles - click on great books on career management.
• What makes you tick? To get greater insight into what makes you tick, so that you can integrate your key strengths into your CV, try out the Ocean Personality test for free. It doesn't take long, and it really does give you important insights into yourself and tips on how to maximise your strengths and develop your weaker areas - to start click here. 
• Feedback - it is often difficult for us to be objective about our own skills and achievements, the story that our CV tells about our abilities, and the impact that it has with recruiters. That's why it is always beneficial to get advice from a third party. Do we, can we, see ourselves as others see us? You can ask a friend or colleague, however, if they give you feedback you don't like, please don't shoot the messenger. You could also choose to go to experienced recruitment professionals. This kind of advice can be had from several agencies and consultancies and comes in at various price levels and quality levels. Check out the ones in our directory below.

• Be ready - prepare your CV so that it is ready to send out as soon as you spot an opportunity
• Quality - a good CV has both form and substance. Form is all about good spelling and presentation, substance is about what you have to offer, make sure that yours makes the grade on both counts
• Format - use plenty of white space to make it look fresh and easy to read, stick to one font such as Arial, size 10 or 11, don't add in photos or pictures - download our sample at the bottom of this page for free
• Sell yourself - make sure your CV sells you and your achievements not just your duties – this is no time for modesty!
• Sell yourself quickly - recruiters are busy, you have a just few seconds to make an impression. Does your CV pass the A.I.D.A test? Does it grab their attention, hold their interest, create the desire to find out more, drive the action to talk to you?
• Customise - create one core CV and then adapt it appropriately to the individual positions you are applying for
• Get noticed online - create a basic CV for posting on job boards to grab the recruiters attention,  if you catch their eye you can give them more detail later 
• Use iProfile - create a reusable VOLT- iProfile online - click on their listing below to find out more
• Keep track - save each version of your CV with a clear naming rationale you can identify for reference purposes later, e.g. yourname/company/date or  marketingmanager/company nameplc/12.12.06
• Don't spam - sending CVs and applications by email saves money on postage and is much faster but don't spam your CV willy nilly or it won't be taken seriously
• Identify yourself - when emailing your CV, it is always a good idea to name your CV attachment like this “Bloggs, Joe CV” - recruiters do not have the time to guess the author of the attachment and it makes it easier to file and retrieve.
• Write covering letters that count - write a punchy covering letter to go with your CV tailored to each job opportunity
• Keep it concise - a two-page CV is suitable for younger, less experienced people and makes it easier for busy recruiters to take an interest in you. An absolute maximum of three pages may work for more seasoned applicants, as long as it isn’t padded with waffle and the first page is attention grabbing
• Focus on currency - for employment beyond 10 years ago you could create an "Early Career" section where you can quickly list your previous roles by simply including your job title, company and dates.
• Give it interview appeal - interview questions usually revolve around the Big Three so make sure your CV answers the questions: Can you do the job? Will you do the job? Will you fit in?
• Make it search engine friendly - make sure your CV contains the right key words for the job you want so it will come up on the database searches of recruitment sites you are registered with
• Keep it current - keep your CV regularly updated, especially if you take on any relevant voluntary work or study
• Bait the hook regularly - updating a CV on a job board can often result in renewed interest from recruiters
• Get a second opinion - from trusted friends, recruiters, or even a paid professional - print off your final copy and look at it, getting a second opinion on its content and presentation
• Professional help - even if you pay someone to write your CV, it doesn't come cheap - upwards of at least £200, you will still have to supply the initial information and tweak it. You need it to sell you not some templated, robot from a CV factory
• Referees - think about who will act as a referee for you and sound them out in advance if possible. You do not have to offer these upfront, most recruiters will assume that you will know that you will have to provide them at some point.
• Get started - search for jobs, register your CV and set up email job alerts here.

New Life Network Job Tracking Sheet - 14kb Download this file

How to write an impressive CV - 68kb Download this file

Sample CV NLN.doc - 52kb Download this file

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