How’s your CV looking?

I’ve been recruiting quite a few PMs for a couple of clients recently and so I’ve had literally hundreds of PM CVs pour in. Now some of these CVs are very good indeed, but note I say ’some’. If anyone is looking for a change in career, a shift up gear, in a current or new organisation, they need to spend time (real time) on creating a CV that will make them stand out amongst the others, because in the job market the CV is the sales brochure.

If your sales brochure isn’t up to scratch, it has little chance of portaying you in a very good light and ’selling you’ into an interview.

I’m not going to write about what you should or shouldn’t do in a CV here as there’s a pile of material out there on the net that far better qualified people than I have written. I just want to emphasise that no matter how great you are at managing projects or programmes, if your CV doesn’t sell you well, there’s very little chance of you landing the interviews that your ability as a Manager deserves.

This might seem harsh, but it’s a harsh reality that everyone needs to face if they are applying for a new role with a CV.

If you know that your CV doesn’t do you justice, do someting about it because that document is likely to determine the job you find yourself doing (and the money you earn) in the future. It’s far more important than most people think. Spend a weekend enhancing your CV, and if you’re just not cut out to write that perfect CV (because we can’t be good at everything), consider using a CV writing service or talking to a friend who is strong in writing CVs.

Whatever you, don’t do yourself an injustice and distribute a poor CV which needs to stand up against some of the best CVs out there.

Have you ever thought about a video resume? Simply publish it on YouTube or Google and include a link in your CV or letter of application.