CVs For Dummies

Joyce Lain Kennedy is a popular careers writer and her 'Careers Now' column appears in over 100 newspapers worldwide.Lois-Andrea Ferguson is a Senior Consultant at Professional CV Services, where she helps people to invigorate their CVs. She is also a speaker at university and career events across the UK and has contributed to The Guardian newspaper's online CV clinic.

• Introduction 1About This Book 1Foolish Assumptions 2How This Book Is Organised 2Part I: Pitching Your CV in a Fierce Marketplace 2Part II: The Rise and Reign of the Targeted CV 3Part III: Bringing It All Together: Sample Targeted CVs 3Part IV: Launching Your CV Into Orbit 3Part V: The Parts of Tens 3Icons Used in This Book 4Where to Go from Here 4Part I: Pitching Your CV in a Fierce Marketplace 5Chapter 1: The Generic CV Is Past Its Sell-By Date 7In a New Era, the Targeted CV Rules 7Market Forces Zap Unqualifi ed CVs 9Why mass posting of online CVs doesn’t work 9Enter Web 2.0 10Submitting your CV in a Web 2.0 world 10Three Steps to Writing a Targeted CV 11Sample Core CV and Spin-Offs 12Lauren’s core CV 12Lauren’s targeted CV 14Chapter 2: Quick Online Ways to Find the Right Jobs 19Climbing the Ladder: Vertical Job Search Engines 19Searching the web for jobs 20Using a vertical: The generic basics 21Meeting the verticals 22Job Boards Rising 24The Continuing Power of Newspapers 26But here’s the rest of the story 26A new wind is blowing on newspapers 27Hunting on Company Websites 27Seeking and Finding Is Easier than Ever 28Chapter 3: Spotlighting Your CV in a Web 2.0 World 31Making Something Happen with Web 2.0 Sites 31Getting Involved in Online Social Networking 33What it is 33Ways to get started 34Writing about Jobs and Life: Blogs 35What it is 35Ways to get started 36Receiving Live Feeds through Really Simple Syndication (RSS) 36What it is 37Ways to get started 37Chapter 4: Familiar Search Tools That Aren’t Quite Dormant 39Scannable CVs: Same as Ever 39Plain Text CVs: A Long Last Gasp 42Converting your CV to plain text (ASCII) 42Avoiding ASCII landmines 44E-Forms: Filling in the Blankety-Blanks 45The Fully Designed, Eye-Catching CV Is Back! 46From Identity Theft to Recruiter Turn-Off:Why CV Blasting Is a Bad Idea 47Privacy and identity theft problems 47Overexposure to recruiters 48Online Screening Keeps On Keepin’ On 49Sample components of online screening 50Pros and cons of online screening 51Can your CV be turned away? 51Match Your CVs to the Jobs 52Part II: The Rise and Reign of the Targeted CV 53Chapter 5: Creating Your Best CV 55‘Telling It’ Mutes; ‘Selling It’ Sings 55Focusing Your CV 57CV Formats Make a Difference 60The standard (reverse chronological) format 60The targeted format 63Executive format 66Academic curriculum vitae 67Making Contact with a Speculative Letter 70Highlighting Your Best Work with a Portfolio 72Choosing the Approach That Works for You 73Chapter 6: Flowing Content Versus Jarring Detail 75Exploring the Sections of Your CV 75Leading with Contact Details 76Hooking the Reader with Your Key Skills 78Making Education and Experience Work for You 79Education 80Experience 80Including Competencies in Your CVs 80Gaining Extra Points 82Activities 82Organisations 82Honours and awards 83Licences and samples of your work 83Shaping Your Content on Application Forms 84Content to Omit: Your Salary Story 84Chapter 7: Words That Make the Mark 87Using Words to Bring Good News 87Buzz words for administration and management 88Buzz words for maximum effect 89Buzz words for sales and persuasion 90Buzz words for technical ability 91Buzz words for office support 92Buzz words for teaching 93Buzz words for research and analysis 94Buzz words for helping and care work 95Buzz words for fi nancial management 96Buzz words for many skills 97Unlocking Your Talents with Keywords 98Keywords for administration/management 99Keywords for banking 100Keywords for customer service 100Keywords for information technology 101Keywords for manufacturing 101Keywords for human resources 102Knowing Where to Find Keywords 102Getting a Grip on Grammar 103Spelling Like a Pro 104Chapter 8: Catching the Eye in Three Seconds Flat 107Word Processing in a Nutshell 107Printing Your CV 108Selecting Paper 109Being Consistent 110Breaking It Up 111Choosing Typefaces and Font Size 111Chapter 9: CVs for Your Life’s Changing Phases 113Grabbing Good Jobs When You’re Older 113The strengths of maturity 114The mature person’s soft spots 114A lower-level job beckons 117Employment in the autumn years 118Winning Interviews as a New Civilian 119Making military strengths count 119Dealing with military soft spots 120Government Hopefuls: From Private to Public 121Chapter 10: Nabbing a Job as a New Graduate 123Getting Your Foot in the Door 123Revising and Drafting Your CV 124Case Study: Landing the Job with Experience 126Case Studying: Nabbing the Job When You Have No Experience 129Wading through the Maze of Graduate Application Forms 131Facing the harsh reality 131Getting your mind in gear 131Moving into the maze of questions and answers 132Chapter 11: The Bare Essentials of a Cover Letter 137Why Cover Letters Are Important 137Getting Started with Defi nitions 138Writing the Cover Letter 139Opening salutations 139The body 140Closing salutations 141Checking Out Cover Letter Examples 141Part III: Bringing It All Together: Sample Targeted CVs 145Chapter 12: Targeted CVs by Industry and Career Field 147Targeted CV for IT or Management 147Targeted CV for Medicine 147Targeted CV for Engineering 152Chapter 13: Targeted CVs by Experience Level and Age 155School-Leaver with No Work Experience 155Graduate with Some Experience 156Management CV 156Senior Executive CV 156Chapter 14: Targeted CVs for Special Circumstances 165Changing a Qualified Teacher’s CV for Jobs in Education and Management 165Creating Specialist CVs 169Targeting Community Sector and Medical Positions 170Part IV: Launching Your CV Into Orbit 175Chapter 15: References Authenticate Your CV 177The Harm Caused by a So-So Reference 177Seven Things You Need to Do about References 178Ban references from your CV 178Expect employers to check references 179Choose references with thought 179Help references help you 180Play safe with a reference folder 180Stamp out bad references 181Thank everyone 182Finding References without Shedding Your Cloak of Secrecy 183Allow Enough Time for Skilful Reference Management 183Chapter 16: Following Up on Your CV 185Why Follow-Up Efforts Are Essential Today 185Questions to Ask Yourself Before Following Up 187Do I phone or email my follow-up? 187What powerful opening statement can I make when I call the company for follow-up? 188How much information can I find out from a central phone operator? 188What are some tips to get past gate-keepers? 190What can I do if I keep getting booted to voicemail? 191Why shouldn’t I leave a message asking the target to call me back? 192How can I keep track of all my calls, emails and contacts as I follow up? 192When is it time to throw in the towel and move on? 193Monitoring Your Follow-up Efforts 193Using the Follow-Up Matrix 194Checking out a sample Matrix 197Fast-Tracking Your Successful Follow-Up 198Chapter 17: Almost Got the Interview Date? Prepare Yourself 199When Your Job Conflicts with an Interview Date 199Face-to-Face Beats Ear-to-Ear 200Going Overboard on Ardour Can Cost You Money 200When the Interview Is Out of Town 201Making the Most of Your Moment 202Part V: The Part of Tens 203Chapter 18: More than Ten Ways to Prove Your Claims 205Say It with Numbers 206Say It with Percentages 207Say It with Amounts in Pounds 208Chapter 19: Ten Ways to Improve Your CV 211Match Your CV to the Job 211Use Bulleted Style for Easy Reading 211Discover the Art of Lost Articles 212Sell, Don’t Tell 212Show Off Your Assets 212Make Sure Your Words Play Well Together 213Reach Out with Strength 213Avoid a Weak Skills Profi le 213Check Out the Technology 214Erase the ‘Leave-Outs’ 214Chapter 20: Ten Things that Annoy Recruiters 217CV-Free Pitches 217Major Mismatches 217E-Stalking 218Missing Caps and Typos 219Too Much Information 220Date Grate 220Guess Who 221File Style 221Useless and Uninformative 222Probable Prevarication 222Chapter 21: Ten Tips on Choosing Professional CV Help 223Choose a CV Writing Service, Not a Clerical Service 224Ask Around for a Great CV Pro 224Request a Free Initial Consultation 225Watch Out for Overuse of Forms 225Look for a Fair Price 225Check Out Samples 226Take Aim 226Consider a Certified CV Writer 227Remember That Design Counts 227Know That a Poor CV Is No Bargain 227Chapter 22: Your Ten-Point CV Checklist 229Matching Skills for Skills 229Format and Style 229Focus and Image 230Achievements and Skills 230Language and Expressions 230Content and Omissions 230Length and Common Sense 231Appearance: Online Attached and Paper CVs 231Difficult Issues and Sugar-coating 231Proofreading and More Proofreading 231The Power of Targeted CVs 232Index 233