The CV is the first document a HR Personnel will get from you. It is thus a ‘textual representative’ of you. In a scenario where there are thousands of people competing for the same job and position, how you write your CV could make all the difference between getting on to the ‘shortlist’ or simply being
left out.
Writing a CV is supposed to be easy enough to be taught in secondary school, but at that young age most of us are either too immature to remember what had been taught about CV writing or do not accurately comprehend the importance of a CV. So, when we grow much older and are getting ready to step into the job market, writing a CV sends shivers down the spine of most young people.
When it is time for most people to write their CV what do they do? Ask an intelligent friend or colleague who is well placed to send them their CV. Why, you ask? Well, so that they can copy the template (and sometimes career objectives!). The assumption here is that since the friend or colleague is well placed, they have a ‘well designed’ and ‘well written’ CV. But this assumption need not always be true, as I have noticed on innumerable occasions.
For those who are thinking of writing a CV and can already feel the butterflies in their stomach, relax. Undoubtedly a CV represents you but it is also not such a complex thing that it cannot be done with a little effort and thought.
Infact, if you are willing to invest some time, ‘thinking’ of what should go into your CV, it would be a rather simple process.
The first thing to remember if you are not sure of your English, and this is a major problem, is to keep your CV simple. Keep it simple so that you yourself can understand it.
The first place that I have observed most people stumbling on is their ‘Career Objectives’
Here are a few examples I came across, that you should not repeat.
“Seeking a challenging carrier by giving all my skills to my profession and awaiting for a initiative role.”
“To be a part of the challenging team which strives for the better growth of the organization and which explores my potential and provides me with the opportunity to enhance my talent with an intention to be an asset to the company.”
“To associate with an organization which progresses dynamically and gives me a chance to update my knowledge and enhance my skills, in the state of art technologies and be a part of the team that excels in work to words, the growth of organization and my satisfaction thereof.”
Notice how 'general' the statements is.
Points to keep in mind when writing the Career Objectives in your CV
* Keep the English simple
* Keep the sentences short, precise and concise. Cut the verbiage.
* The tone of your Career Objective should be formal.
* The Grammar should be correct.
* Check your spelling more than a few times.
* Do not copy and paste other peoples Career Objectives
* It is best to keep your Career Objectives 3-4 lines.
* Make sure your Career Objectives match the job you are applying for. A line like this “Looking for vacancy as a fresher, in business process outsourcing, human resource development and as an article writer for a leading newspaper” is a big NO NO!
Once you think you are done, read your Career Objectives 20 times over to ensure that it conveys what you want to say.
A sample career objective for a journalist graduate could look like this:
Published newspaper journalist with editing background seeking staff writing position. Looking for room to grow and the ability to increase my knowledge of the industry.
or:
Hard-working, detail-oriented, recent college graduate seeking a career in the newspaper journalist field. Looking for room to grow and the ability to learn all I can about the industry.
Your career objective should be placed at the top of the page and shouldn’t exceed five sentences. It’s your introduction to your entire CV package. Employers know what they are looking for in an employee, but if you tell them you have specific career aspirations it will come through as motivation and passion, giving you an edge in a pool of applicant
The Internet is a huge resource at your finger tips. Coming up with a shoddy Career Objective means you have been lazy and failed to actively use the Internet to check on what you have written. It could be the reason why you are currently seeing months of joblessness.
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