I grew up in a world where everything job hunting revolved around a well written CV. We had form periods dedicated to it, careers advisors who picked through them with a fine-tooth comb, parents who muttered obtuse suggestions and then you looked over your shoulder at your mates’ and felt very inadequate.
But then, what can an 18-year-old write in a CV that demonstrates skills and experience to a potential employer? There are so many new methods candidates now apply for jobs – such as video CVs, websites, and on social media, thousands of young people use our platform to do this every month. Online job applications are also popular and often involve online testing, which allow employers to test the skills needed. Surely, any set-up in which a company receives an applicant’s professional data means little unless they can truly establish their value to that organisation. Ultimately, it’s how persuasively you present this value. The story is that people in their early twenties who are attempting to get their ‘first proper job’ don't have the required range of experience or ability to write a remarkable personal statement - ask any careers adviser!
Personal statements usually sound wishy-washy with one very much like another’s. They verge on being full of very general assertions that don’t say anything distinctive about the candidate, such as: ‘I am an outgoing, methodical, resourceful person with strong communication and interpersonal skills.’ It’s amazing how many outgoing, methodical, resourceful persons with strong communication and interpersonal skills there are out there!
The other issue is that the career ambitions are too extensive. For example, we see a lot of interest in accountancy or IT. To the candidate, this may appear acceptable: they want to try out diverse things to decide about a career. But to employers, this hints at the candidate not doing enough investigation and that they don’t really require a job in accountancy, they’d be similarly happy in the IT department.
If you do write a CV, you might describe your projects, interests, or work experience in more detail, and this extra information could give a recruiter a stronger sense of your skills and what inspires you. Most importantly though, ‘soft skills’, charisma, the ability to get on with a variety of different characters, to articulate clearly, self-confidence, determination and self-control may soon become more important than a two-sided sheet of A4.
Good luck in your CV writing! Check other blogs on GetMyFirstJob on how to write your CV (that is if you think you need one).
Written by Brad Lewis, Head of New Business, GetMyFirstJob
