How to tell your story

Having shortlisted from tens of thousands of CVs to recruit hundreds of candidates in the past, I can tell you that shortlisting candidates can often be difficult due to the similarity of many of the CV offerings received. It is however really important and often done under pressure.  So, a good candidate will be one that, rather than making the process challenging, makes the job of a recruiter easy.

So, the best thing you can do is communicate your value to the employer in ways that are relevant to them, rather than ‘telling your story’. It’s really important not to put things on your CV because you feel they ‘ought to be’ there. Put things on your CV that will get you selected.

Don’t fall into the trap of describing how you ‘recently left such and such college after studying such and such course for 3 years, which I really liked and I also worked part time at ….’.  This is a story telling exercise. It’s often used because it’s the easiest way of presenting your information. But it is boring and only partially relevant.

Take these details and find ways of presenting them in a more compelling way – based on what the employer is really looking for.

There is no doubt for me that if you apply these techniques effectively you will be successful. Give it a go and let me know how you get on!

More information on why I recommend the marketing approach can be seen here.
More suggestions on how to apply the marketing approach to your job applications can be seen here.

Written by

CV Writer and Interview Coach. Blogging about ways to improve your CV writing and job searching experience.