Myths, Lies, and Truths about Successful CVs
It's the ultimate job-seekers must-have — a hot CV to show a brilliant career. By hook or by crook, it has to look good and sexy, have the un-put-downable appeal of a Stephen King novel, and "hire me" reaching out to grab the recruiter by the neck. All myth, of course — often seen by employers as total BS, and adding up to a big fat zero.
Whoa, surely a good CV is the passport to nailing a good job? Yes, but with reservations. Or more truthfully — yes, once upon a time — like the stories that so many CVs have become.
Huh? What’s with this "story" business?
Look no further than your friendly Google search page — and the 2,240,000 results you get when you enter "write a CV" as your search request.
Amazing options, aren’t they?
- Have your CV written by experts. Money-Back Guarantee
- Expert advice & tips on how to write that winning CV
- Write your CV in minutes — we will help you create a professional CV
- Resume, CV, Cover Letter and Interview guide
- Free online guide on how to write a good CV / curriculum vitae
- How to write your CV and get a head start in the job hunting race
Now look at it from an employer’s point of view. Because often that Wow Factor makes your CV pure fiction. These days, most employers expect CVs that are hyped up to grab attention — often written by a pro for a big fat fee with little input from the job-seeker in the first place.
And it’s not just the hype. Recruiters have learned the hard way that as many as 70 per cent of job applicants lie on their CVs. Sifting through the story-telling, they know it’s just a list of porkies.
Which kind of clears the decks a bit when it comes to choosing who gets to be interviewed and how. Because count on it, if a candidate lies in a CV, the same lies have to be supported face-to-face. Ergo, how much truth is there to anything they might say? Stephen King is, after all, pure fiction.
So if not the hot CV, then what?
How about proof? The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
Because if you’re serious about that job, you’ve got to demonstrate that you’re as good as you say you are. Sure, have a CV that reads well and looks good. But back it up with references and hard evidence of your actual skills.
Not easily something you can email, is it? And a bit more like hard work. Sure those certificates and diplomas might not be studied in detail — but employers WILL check. And more often than not, they’ll want proof of your competencies too.
Already there are online skills tests for just about every subject under the sun that they can ask you to work through — solid proof that you can perform as expected. Which, if you’re genuine, can actually put you ahead of the game.
Just think, instead of waiting for a recruiter to ask you to sit a test, you can voluntarily put yourself through one before you apply. It might cost a bit — a serious skills test from ClickATest, the UK’s largest online skills and attitude assessment centre, might cost around £30 — but hey, it’s your future, isn’t it? And you’re VOLUNTARILY proving up front that you’re everything you say you are.
So, cut the BS. It’s time to prove to that new employer that WYSIWYG. And good luck!
