As a recruiter, I deal with individuals who are looking for jobs daily. I thoroughly enjoy finding the best talents for my clients, but I’m often surprised at the lack of preparation on a CV, LinkedIn profile, or introduction email. Making a good first impression with your CV is imperative in your job hunt, as this first impression only take a few seconds for a recruiter to decide whether the candidate is worth pursuing.
Here are a few tricks of the trade that may help you, even if you’re not on the job market just yet.
1. LinkedIn is basically your Tinder for businesses. If a talent scout doesn’t like what they see, odds are, they aren’t going to swipe right and set up that first date. And no, I’m not talking about your profile picture. Add descriptions in your profile to let us know what you are capable of doing, and what you’ve learned in each role!
2. Always have an updated copy of your CV available. Every time you start a new job, add the experience and responsibilities that come along with it, save it and email it to yourself. This will help you next time you apply for a role, making the process quick and easy, and not having to start from scratch.
3. Who still has spelling errors on their CV? Yes, mistakes happen, but there are tools that can help you write/spell if this is not your strong suit. Download Grammarly to double-check your spelling. If you’re going to go through the effort of marketing yourself, but don’t take the time to check your spelling, the person reading your cv might see this as a “lack of attention to detail” when it matters most.
4. When possible, make an effort to contact the person advertising the job you are wanting to apply for. Recruiters and HR look at hundreds of CV’s a day, they will most likely remember the people who made an effort to call, or pop into the office (pandemic permitting…).
5. When last did you see your Degree? Photocopy any important documents and email them to yourself (ID, Passport, Proof of residence, etc). You’ll never find yourself digging through old boxes in your mom’s storeroom ever again.
6. Make an effort to tailor your CV to the role you are applying for. Only you know how your experience applies to a certain role. Make sure the person looking at your CV understands why YOU think you are perfect for the position. Titles are so interchangeable these days. A title at one company may include responsibilities that someone with the same title at a different company, may not.
7. Don’t just apply for every role! I once had a candidate who applied to over 200 roles within a month. Now every time his name pops up on my screen, I can only assume he has not even read through the job spec and is just trying his luck. Don’t be that guy.
8. Beware, the rumors are true. Recruiters will check your social media. We want to know your personality, as well as what you would deem appropriate to put online!
9. Don’t lie about your current salary in order to negotiate a higher offer. Chances are the person making you an offer will request your current payslip, and being caught in that kind of lie just makes it awkward for everyone involved – Especially when it comes down to facing your future employer every day.
10. And while we’re talking salary, be sure to know what you want in your next position when you start your job hunt. As a recruiter, we aren’t going to tell you what you are worth. If you’re leaving your current position because you aren’t happy with the salary, decide on a number that you want (be reasonable) and stick to it. Just make sure you can justify the jump.
If you are looking for a new job, check out our job page.
