Updating your CV for the American Market
40 seconds is the typical length of time HR give to perusing a CV – make sure yours is captivating enough to land you that all important interview. How?
- Market yourself – promote yourself, you are unique – and so is the job – make sure you and the job ‘marry’.
- Put your most recent experience first. If it was a long time ago and is irrelevant to the post you may wish to omit altogether.
- Personal information - no need to mention age, children, marital status or what you do in your spare time.
- List strongest qualifications first to catch interest. So make sure your degree goes before your girl guide ‘camper badge’ unless of course that’s more relevant…
- Spell and grammar check. In these ICT bound days there is simply no excuse. CV’s are always ‘typed’ though a hand-written cover note is acceptable if your writing is genuinely copper-plate.
- Remember the main goal is to get someone to read to the bottom. Older- less relevant things at bottom.
- Prepare a separate resume for each job you apply for and tailor it specifically to that job – once you’ve prepared a few you’ll find that you become adept at fine tuning and tweaking – though if you’re not getting any interviews then it’s probably time to go back to the drawing board!
- Make sure you give all possible contact information.
- Ensure that your voicemail at home is professional – a chant by the kids may amuse Grandma but it won’t entertain HR.
Practicalities – what to include
Your goal is to get potential employers interested and scrambling for their Blackberry.
If you’ve worked recently you’ll probably have lots to say and bags of experience to draw on. If you’ve been a camp follower or stay-at-home parent for the past few years it may be hard to remember the very many skills, assets and talents you possess. If the latter, talk to friends, relatives, former colleagues – you’ll be surprised at the multitude of talents they perceive in you. Try to ensure you cover as many as possible of the broad-based headings listed below:
Your goal is to get potential employers interested and scrambling for their Blackberry.
If you’ve worked recently you’ll probably have lots to say and bags of experience to draw on. If you’ve been a camp follower or stay-at-home parent for the past few years it may be hard to remember the very many skills, assets and talents you possess. If the latter, talk to friends, relatives, former colleagues – you’ll be surprised at the multitude of talents they perceive in you. Try to ensure you cover as many as possible of the broad-based headings listed below:
- Capsule Description of Self – this should be placed towards the top of the CV and linked to the job attributes sought.
- Qualification Summary – new graduates and those with less than 5 years of work experience should place education and qualifications toward the top of their CV – others should relegate to the bottom. Equate foreign qualifications to their US equivalents.
- Experience – see below
- Proven ability
- Personal things if cool or unique – you may want to include fund-raising, committee work and experience of living abroad.
- Quantify credentials – facts and figures of achievements
- Highlight most relevant assets
- Use brief direct phrases and include facts and figures.
Work experience
List the most important details of each job you have done – in particular recent positions. Include part-time employment if relevant.
List the most important details of each job you have done – in particular recent positions. Include part-time employment if relevant.
- Top-tip – throw everything down on one page that you can think of and then edit and cut – keep a master copy from which you select the key components for each vacancy you apply for. .
- Dates - start and end dates. .
- Organisation – explain what the company does.
- Job title. .
- Achievements - include language and ICT skills. .
- Other work Experience (not so relevant – but don’t show gaps). .
- Volunteer Activities - volunteering is as American as Apple Pie and is especially important if you do not have any work experience. Use professional terms and specific ways that you contributed. .
- Roles – outline any different roles including any leadership roles. .
- Be descriptive – use action words – leading, managing, liaising, communicating, accounting. .
- Be culturally correct and aware. .
- Personal Information - in the US it is illegal to ask about race, religion or marital status. .
- References – do not send or supply details of references with a resume in the US. Put “Available on Request”. Ensure you have checked with your referee first that they are happy to oblige. Write your own reference letter and send to your referee with bullet points. Ask to be copied in on the reference. .
Covering letter
Always write a covering letter that re-iterates and repeats any key elements.
Be informed
Research the job well and throw back at them what they are looking for - in these days of instant information highway there is simply no excuse for not knowing the basics plus. Read the Company’s Annual report/website etc. Find out who is head of HR.
Always write a covering letter that re-iterates and repeats any key elements.
Be informed
Research the job well and throw back at them what they are looking for - in these days of instant information highway there is simply no excuse for not knowing the basics plus. Read the Company’s Annual report/website etc. Find out who is head of HR.
