CVs

In ten years I have seen loads of graduate CVs. We put CVs forward to recruiters every day, we get interviews for candidates every day and we get jobs for graduates every day. We know it all starts with a CV and we know what works.

Some CVs we receive from newly qualified graduates are outstanding - they are relevant, catch my attention, were easy to read and gave evidence of success. Other CVs can look flat in comparison. Very little thought has gone into it, there are mistakes and you have to hunt for the information you need to make a decision. Poor CV construction multiplied by hundreds that pass the selector's desk mean that it is a skilled job to read through CVs and identify the right candidates to interview. Due to high volumes of applications and time pressure, selectors are forced to identify suitable applicants from their CVs in seconds - yes seconds. Maybe just 15 seconds!

Problem is you need to spend 3 hours getting your CV at its best to pass the 15 second test. I run a CV clinic at GRB in Brighton and help graduates do just this. The transformation can be amazing and can turn around someone's chances of finding their first job - an important step for a graduate.

I remember meeting a guy at a seminar once who had just retired from recruitment and he gave me a great bit of advice about CVs. A CV should show how great the things you have done are and NOT how great a person you are.

To get you started I have produced a CV Makeover kit which is a free download here>
http://www.grb.uk.com/cv_makeover.0.html


Happy job hunting

Dan Hawes