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4 Do’s and 4 Don’ts When Writing an IT C.V
Our Auckland I.T Candidate Manager Claire Lowe has put together some top tips for C.V writing in her industry of expertise:
"In my role as an IT Candidate Manager I see a lot of C.V.s on a daily basis, some are fantastic and get directly to the point and others leave you wondering where the person currently is and what they are currently doing. Given this large amount of exposure one soon forms an opinion on what makes an effective technical CV and what doesn’t. Enterprise prefers to send candidates C.V.s to the client as they are written to show authenticity and ensure key details are not transposed incorrectly.
Do:
1)
Include a project summary or two
– Hiring managers want to see what you are capable of and what better way to show this than producing past examples (Quantifiable Achievements)
. They can either be commercial projects or hobby projects. It is important to include the role you played, scope of the project, duration and the technologies used. A minimum breakdown of 3 projects is the amount I would recommend but remember this is a summary so keep it short and specific!
2)
Include links to or snapshots of projects
– The best way to show your skills and abilities is with examples and graphics. These options allow you to expand on your C.V. with graphics and details without cluttering your C.V. and can be your real point of difference.
3)
Keep it time relevant
– If you have been in your career for some time, I recommend that you only go back in history as far as the past 4 roles maximum. As much as we appreciate you did that internship back at university, the more recent years will give a more relevant view of your current experience and skills.
4)
Tailor your C.V. to the specific role you have applied for
– Most people reading C.V.s whether it is a recruiter or hiring manager will read at least 10 C.V.s for the same role in a day. Viewers on average will look at your C.V. for seconds rather than minutes. That’s not a long amount of time to show you are different. Make sure your key points align specifically to the role you have applied for.
Don’t:
1)
Don’t use general statements and be vague –
I can’t even remember the number of times I have seen “I am looking for an opportunity with your organisation”. While it is written with good intentions it doesn’t mean anything. Be specific, we all know that you have kept that statement for the last 10 roles that you applied for so it does not add value.
2)
Don’t submit the same C.V. to all roles –
We all appreciate that you have many skills and you can do any job that you put your mind to, however, when applying for roles that are for a specific skill set tailor your C.V. to it, highlighting how your skills and you align to it. It is very easy and effective to change a few words or the important parts of your past role to illustrate that you can do the role you are applying for.
3)
Don’t include any personal details that aren’t necessary –
the only personal information that should be included is your name, your address, email and cellphone number. Leave out information such as birthday, health status, marriage status and family status. While it is illegal to discriminate on these things, it is better leave them out altogether and avoid the risk
4)
Don’t assume someone knows your responsibilities from a job title –
job titles today don’t provide much insight into what a role can entail. Provide enough detail to make sure someone will be able to read your C.V. and know exactly what you did.
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