Bring Your CV Into The 21st Century


You’re ready to take the plunge and make a career change. Exciting stuff! Making the decision in the first place is never easy, and deserve a round of applause. But, deciding that you want a new job is only the start. There are a lot of things that will determine whether you are successful, but your CV is the main one. Employers look at Curriculum Vitaes like they are a map to the Holy Grail, even if that isn’t the case. You and I know that there is more you than a single sheet of A4 paper. However, what people like us think doesn’t matter – it’s what the employer thinks that counts. With that in mind, there is no excuse for a mediocre CV. One piece of paper might be the difference between success and failure, so it’s vital that you treat it with respect. To do that today, you need to create an up-to-date CV with all the trimmings. Here are a couple of things that will help you nail the process and land the job of your dreams. 

Use Colour 
In the past, CVs were reams of black and white paper. Nowadays, the average CV is one piece of paper that looks like it had a fight with a rainbow. The reason for this is two-fold. The first thing to mention is that people are more creative as there are no shackles. Employers, as a result, are more willing to reward their creativity. The second is that technology is far more advanced in 2017. Plus, far fewer candidates are technologically illiterate. So, producing a sharp and colourful resume isn’t too much graft. Your competitors will use a colour scheme to their benefit, and so should you if you want to win. 

Have More Than One
One CV used to be the gold standard back in the day, but that has all changed. The 21st-century candidate has a range of resumes, and they know when to use one and when to reject the others. In simple terms, businesses don’t want to read about skills which have zero bearing on the role. After all, it’s a waste of their time, and that won’t reflect kindly on the final decision. What they want to read is an A4 sheet which is short, concise, and to the point as they’re busy and lazy. If you have several in the vault, you can choose which one suits the employer the best. 

Video Marketing
The rise of video is astronomical. In the space of a decade, video content has consumed the world. There isn’t an industry that doesn’t benefit from using video these days, and that’s worth remembering. Video CVs are all the rage in 2017, and for a good reason. For one thing, they can go viral with the help of YouTube and Dailymotion. YouTube gets billions of views a week, and some of them are bound to be curious employers. More than that, it adds a sense of personality. On a video, an employer can see your face and read your body language. If you’re a smiley, happy person who can turn a phrase, they will remember you. Let’s face it – it’s more likely to work than a name on a piece of paper.

Post Social Media Links
The most important features of a CV are as follows: personal details, work experience, and social media links. Social media is so big in today’s market that you must use it to your benefit. Businesses want to browse your LinkedIn profile because it says so much more than a resume. Yes, it might have all the info on your CV, but it also has a portfolio of work. Plus, it adds credibility as it has links to your followers. If you have followers who are reputable, the employer will take note. Think of it as validation of your skills because a person has vouched for you by connecting on LinkedIn. Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram are also useful tools because they permeate all aspects of business. An employer will want to see if you’re fluent in these platforms, or if you’re pretending. 

Go Online
So you have a brand new CV, and it looks great. Is it time to stick it in the vault for later? Nope – it’s time to upload it to job sites for maximum exposure. Job sites are a massive part of a job search as employers use them to scope out possible candidates. By making it visible to all, a person like you can attract people instead of the other way around. At the moment, Indeed is the market leader, so they are a good option. But, there are plenty more, and you want to sign up to every single one. Sometimes, quantity isn’t a great tactic. In this case, quantity is your secret weapon. The more sites you upload to, the more chance of catching the eye of employers as all business won’t use the same sites. As long as the CV and covering letter combo is quality, they won’t mind if they come across it again. 

Utilise SEO
If you thought that you had no need for search engine optimisation, think again. The CV is going online, which means it’s a viable candidate. In essence, SEO is the practice of using keywords and phrases to maximise exposure. With the help of a few industry tricks, you can realise this goal without too much fuss. It’s worth noting that there are stumbling blocks like how to choose the right SEO company or expert. And, you will need a professional if you don’t have the first clue about the basics. As long as you remember to research their expertise, you shouldn’t go too far wrong. A tip: look for unbiased customer referrals. Previous clients have no agenda, so their feedback is trustworthy. Once you get on the SEO train, there’s no telling where you’ll get off.