Description
Book SynopsisA high quality CV is essential for anyone who wants to get ahead, especially in today's competitive job market. This fully updated guide shows readers how to create a brilliant CV that'll get them noticed and the job they deserve. With dozens of useful sample CVs from a diverse range of industries and age groups, plus advice on structure, language and classic CV mistakes that could be holding them back, this book is the easiest way to a CV tune-up, and a dream job.
The new and updated CVs For Dummies 2nd Edition contains:
- Information on bouncing back from redundancy
- Tips on looking for work in a hostile job market
- Extended information on the graduate recruitment process
- A question and answer section on online application forms
- A brand new chapter on cover letters
CVs For Dummies 2nd Edition covers:
Part I: Pitching Your CVs in a Fierce Marketplace
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Table of ContentsIntroduction 1
About This Book 1
Foolish Assumptions 2
How This Book Is Organised 2
Part I: Pitching Your CV in a Fierce Marketplace 2
Part II: The Rise and Reign of the Targeted CV 3
Part III: Bringing It All Together: Sample Targeted CVs 3
Part IV: Launching Your CV Into Orbit 3
Part V: The Parts of Tens 3
Icons Used in This Book 4
Where to Go from Here 4
Part I: Pitching Your CV in a Fierce Marketplace 5
Chapter 1: The Generic CV Is Past Its Sell-By Date 7
In a New Era, the Targeted CV Rules 7
Market Forces Zap Unqualifi ed CVs 9
Why mass posting of online CVs doesn’t work 9
Enter Web 2.0 10
Submitting your CV in a Web 2.0 world 10
Three Steps to Writing a Targeted CV 11
Sample Core CV and Spin-Offs 12
Lauren’s core CV 12
Lauren’s targeted CV 14
Chapter 2: Quick Online Ways to Find the Right Jobs 19
Climbing the Ladder: Vertical Job Search Engines 19
Searching the web for jobs 20
Using a vertical: The generic basics 21
Meeting the verticals 22
Job Boards Rising 24
The Continuing Power of Newspapers 26
But here’s the rest of the story 26
A new wind is blowing on newspapers 27
Hunting on Company Websites 27
Seeking and Finding Is Easier than Ever 28
Chapter 3: Spotlighting Your CV in a Web 2.0 World 31
Making Something Happen with Web 2.0 Sites 31
Getting Involved in Online Social Networking 33
What it is 33
Ways to get started 34
Writing about Jobs and Life: Blogs 35
What it is 35
Ways to get started 36
Receiving Live Feeds through Really Simple Syndication (RSS) 36
What it is 37
Ways to get started 37
Chapter 4: Familiar Search Tools That Aren’t Quite Dormant 39
Scannable CVs: Same as Ever 39
Plain Text CVs: A Long Last Gasp 42
Converting your CV to plain text (ASCII) 42
Avoiding ASCII landmines 44
E-Forms: Filling in the Blankety-Blanks 45
The Fully Designed, Eye-Catching CV Is Back! 46
From Identity Theft to Recruiter Turn-Off:
Why CV Blasting Is a Bad Idea 47
Privacy and identity theft problems 47
Overexposure to recruiters 48
Online Screening Keeps On Keepin’ On 49
Sample components of online screening 50
Pros and cons of online screening 51
Can your CV be turned away? 51
Match Your CVs to the Jobs 52
Part II: The Rise and Reign of the Targeted CV 53
Chapter 5: Creating Your Best CV 55
‘Telling It’ Mutes; ‘Selling It’ Sings 55
Focusing Your CV 57
CV Formats Make a Difference 60
The standard (reverse chronological) format 60
The targeted format 63
Executive format 66
Academic curriculum vitae 67
Making Contact with a Speculative Letter 70
Highlighting Your Best Work with a Portfolio 72
Choosing the Approach That Works for You 73
Chapter 6: Flowing Content Versus Jarring Detail 75
Exploring the Sections of Your CV 75
Leading with Contact Details 76
Hooking the Reader with Your Key Skills 78
Making Education and Experience Work for You 79
Education 80
Experience 80
Including Competencies in Your CVs 80
Gaining Extra Points 82
Activities 82
Organisations 82
Honours and awards 83
Licences and samples of your work 83
Shaping Your Content on Application Forms 84
Content to Omit: Your Salary Story 84
Chapter 7: Words That Make the Mark 87
Using Words to Bring Good News 87
Buzz words for administration and management 88
Buzz words for maximum effect 89
Buzz words for sales and persuasion 90
Buzz words for technical ability 91
Buzz words for office support 92
Buzz words for teaching 93
Buzz words for research and analysis 94
Buzz words for helping and care work 95
Buzz words for fi nancial management 96
Buzz words for many skills 97
Unlocking Your Talents with Keywords 98
Keywords for administration/management 99
Keywords for banking 100
Keywords for customer service 100
Keywords for information technology 101
Keywords for manufacturing 101
Keywords for human resources 102
Knowing Where to Find Keywords 102
Getting a Grip on Grammar 103
Spelling Like a Pro 104
Chapter 8: Catching the Eye in Three Seconds Flat 107
Word Processing in a Nutshell 107
Printing Your CV 108
Selecting Paper 109
Being Consistent 110
Breaking It Up 111
Choosing Typefaces and Font Size 111
Chapter 9: CVs for Your Life’s Changing Phases 113
Grabbing Good Jobs When You’re Older 113
The strengths of maturity 114
The mature person’s soft spots 114
A lower-level job beckons 117
Employment in the autumn years 118
Winning Interviews as a New Civilian 119
Making military strengths count 119
Dealing with military soft spots 120
Government Hopefuls: From Private to Public 121
Chapter 10: Nabbing a Job as a New Graduate 123
Getting Your Foot in the Door 123
Revising and Drafting Your CV 124
Case Study: Landing the Job with Experience 126
Case Studying: Nabbing the Job When You Have No Experience 129
Wading through the Maze of Graduate Application Forms 131
Facing the harsh reality 131
Getting your mind in gear 131
Moving into the maze of questions and answers 132
Chapter 11: The Bare Essentials of a Cover Letter 137
Why Cover Letters Are Important 137
Getting Started with Defi nitions 138
Writing the Cover Letter 139
Opening salutations 139
The body 140
Closing salutations 141
Checking Out Cover Letter Examples 141
Part III: Bringing It All Together: Sample Targeted CVs 145
Chapter 12: Targeted CVs by Industry and Career Field 147
Targeted CV for IT or Management 147
Targeted CV for Medicine 147
Targeted CV for Engineering 152
Chapter 13: Targeted CVs by Experience Level and Age 155
School-Leaver with No Work Experience 155
Graduate with Some Experience 156
Management CV 156
Senior Executive CV 156
Chapter 14: Targeted CVs for Special Circumstances 165
Changing a Qualified Teacher’s CV for Jobs in Education and Management 165
Creating Specialist CVs 169
Targeting Community Sector and Medical Positions 170
Part IV: Launching Your CV Into Orbit 175
Chapter 15: References Authenticate Your CV 177
The Harm Caused by a So-So Reference 177
Seven Things You Need to Do about References 178
Ban references from your CV 178
Expect employers to check references 179
Choose references with thought 179
Help references help you 180
Play safe with a reference folder 180
Stamp out bad references 181
Thank everyone 182
Finding References without Shedding Your Cloak of Secrecy 183
Allow Enough Time for Skilful Reference Management 183
Chapter 16: Following Up on Your CV 185
Why Follow-Up Efforts Are Essential Today 185
Questions to Ask Yourself Before Following Up 187
Do I phone or email my follow-up? 187
What powerful opening statement can I make when I call the company for follow-up? 188
How much information can I find out from a central phone operator? 188
What are some tips to get past gate-keepers? 190
What can I do if I keep getting booted to voicemail? 191
Why shouldn’t I leave a message asking the target to call me back? 192
How can I keep track of all my calls, emails and contacts as I follow up? 192
When is it time to throw in the towel and move on? 193
Monitoring Your Follow-up Efforts 193
Using the Follow-Up Matrix 194
Checking out a sample Matrix 197
Fast-Tracking Your Successful Follow-Up 198
Chapter 17: Almost Got the Interview Date? Prepare Yourself 199
When Your Job Conflicts with an Interview Date 199
Face-to-Face Beats Ear-to-Ear 200
Going Overboard on Ardour Can Cost You Money 200
When the Interview Is Out of Town 201
Making the Most of Your Moment 202
Part V: The Part of Tens 203
Chapter 18: More than Ten Ways to Prove Your Claims 205
Say It with Numbers 206
Say It with Percentages 207
Say It with Amounts in Pounds 208
Chapter 19: Ten Ways to Improve Your CV 211
Match Your CV to the Job 211
Use Bulleted Style for Easy Reading 211
Discover the Art of Lost Articles 212
Sell, Don’t Tell 212
Show Off Your Assets 212
Make Sure Your Words Play Well Together 213
Reach Out with Strength 213
Avoid a Weak Skills Profi le 213
Check Out the Technology 214
Erase the ‘Leave-Outs’ 214
Chapter 20: Ten Things that Annoy Recruiters 217
CV-Free Pitches 217
Major Mismatches 217
E-Stalking 218
Missing Caps and Typos 219
Too Much Information 220
Date Grate 220
Guess Who 221
File Style 221
Useless and Uninformative 222
Probable Prevarication 222
Chapter 21: Ten Tips on Choosing Professional CV Help 223
Choose a CV Writing Service, Not a Clerical Service 224
Ask Around for a Great CV Pro 224
Request a Free Initial Consultation 225
Watch Out for Overuse of Forms 225
Look for a Fair Price 225
Check Out Samples 226
Take Aim 226
Consider a Certified CV Writer 227
Remember That Design Counts 227
Know That a Poor CV Is No Bargain 227
Chapter 22: Your Ten-Point CV Checklist 229
Matching Skills for Skills 229
Format and Style 229
Focus and Image 230
Achievements and Skills 230
Language and Expressions 230
Content and Omissions 230
Length and Common Sense 231
Appearance: Online Attached and Paper CVs 231
Difficult Issues and Sugar-coating 231
Proofreading and More Proofreading 231
The Power of Targeted CVs 232
Index 233
