How to Adapt your cv and career achievements to the needs of an opportunity

Hello, Buddy! Have you ever thought about the best way to adapt your CV and career achievements to suits the needs of every new opportunity that comes your way? Or do you just copy and paste?

In case you didn’t know, HR’s most likely gonna take a look at your C.V for a few seconds and if there’s nothing interesting there…out you go. 

You see, first impressions are important for success and your CV is your first foot in the door so your shoe had better be shining. It’s really inefficient of you to just keep applying to different jobs with the same CV _ No edits, no modification. You just click apply and expect bidibidobidiboo!

If you recently got rejected, don’t be too hard on yourself. You’re most likely deserving of the opportunity but your C.V didn’t rep you at all. This entire job search process is like acting; you need to adapt your C.V persona to suit the roles and industry.

And it’s not just applying for jobs online, how about pitching yourself to a CEO or potential employer on the spot?

Like how you’d have to, at WorkitOut With CareerBuddy. 

Well, the parameters are almost the same, but that requires more verbal communication skill than written. You should read something interesting on that here.

Whatever is worth doing at all is definitely worth doing well so let’s help you make every first shot you take with a job application count!

• Study the job description

Every single detail you need to prepare your C.V is in the J.D. Let me repeat that again. Every single detail you need to prepare your C.V is in the J.D! Study it, read it, cram it, digest it and repeat the process all over again – that’s if you really want this job. Doing this will help you understand exactly what the employer needs and how to can position yourself as the best fit.

• Take note of the keywords and phrases

List the skills and keywords in the Job Description and include them in your C.V and profile summary.  A good number of organizations now use the ATS software to sift through C.Vs that don’t match the skills and experience listed in the J.D. Hiring managers will also be definitely looking out for these keywords in your C.V

• Include only your most relevant experiences

Start from the most recent to past work experiences. You don’t have to meet all the criteria for a job opportunity but at least show that you have the key knowledge of the industry and skills required for the role. You don’t want to include an internship experience with a law firm when you’re trying to switch to a role in Software development.

• Research the company:

Take note of mission statements or the About Us to gain more insights into the culture of the organization. Do they focus on social impact? Then you might want to include some volunteer or community development experience in your C.V

Finally, try to ensure your profile summary shows some personality and alignment to the overall vibe and culture of the organization. 

All the best!