How to make your cv and linkedIn profile stand out from the crowd

How to make your cv and linkedIn profile stand out from the crowd

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  How to makeyour CV & LinkedIn profile stand out from the crowd Joshua Rayner, CEO of Rayner Personnel
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  Writing a CVfit for 2021 2
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  3 Your CV Updating yourCV or writing one from scratch can seem like a daunting and time- consuming task Your CV is your gateway to getting that all- important job interview and ultimately, landing that job Take your time, follow this simple guide and avoid those easily avoidable pitfalls CV
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  4 1. Choose the rightformat Your CV is your first impression with an employer or recruiter, so make a great first impression Ask yourself: • Does it look disorganised or cluttered? • Is it too short or too long? • Does it scream out “Read me!”? • Does it truly reflect what I’m capable of? Format Length: Keep it brief and concise Font Choice : Professionals use Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman Font Size : Use10 to 12, headings should be larger and bolded Chronological Layout: Use a logical chronological order (last job first), sufficient spacing and clear headings Attention To Detail: Double-check your grammar and spelling thoroughly Top Tips
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  5 2. What contact informationto include Its not unheard of for people to forget this, so: • Always include your name, mobile or phone number, a suitable email address, and your home address • Consider adding professional social media profiles that are applicable to the position, such as a well curated ‘all-star’ LinkedIn profile Top Tips Be Professional: Don’t use an email address, like skaterdude86@hotmail.co.uk Email address: If you don’t have one already, create a separate email address for professional Personal Information: Avoid adding your marital status, nationality or religious faith Photography: Include a headshot of yourself Contact
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  6 3. Personal Statement A studyrevealed that on average employers spend just under 9 seconds looking at your CV. So its important to use your Personal Statement (alternatively referred to as a Profile or Summary) to give the prospect employer a reason to read on. In one or two sentences summarise; • who you are • your work experience • your relevant skills • why you’re suitable for the position You
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  7 4. Adding yourkey skills Your Skills section shows your strengths and individuality. Start by stating each of your key skills as a bullet points, demonstrating the most relevant to the role you are applying for Back this up with a short account of how you learned that skill or why you believe you have it Make these entries short and concise, no more than three-lines of clear straight to the point text Add value by including items like software names you have proficiency in or accreditations & affiliated memberships Skills
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  8 5. Your employment history YourHistory shows where and when you’ve worked. Start from your last role and include; • Job title • name of employer • time in role • key responsibilities • specific accomplishments Show what you’ve achieved and the key skills you’ve developed Job titles indicate roughly what you did but tell little about your achievements Top Tips Employment Gaps: Don’t leave gaps in your employment history, include what you were doing throughout your work history Achievements: Substantiate using facts such as; “Led a sales team that resulted in increased sales of £650k p.a. and the company exceeding its annual sales targets by 32%” History
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  9 6. Education & Additional information Startingwith the most recent first, list your Educational achievements including; • schools attended • dates of study • type of qualification • grades achieved Additional Information should include any additional items that may be relevant to your application and help you to stand out such as; • hobbies • out of work interests Top Tips Education: Include other relevant vocational qualifications Hobbies: Including relevant hobbies could back up your skills – not to mention give you something to talk about at an interview Saving Your CV: Save your CV as a PDF document if you intend to email it Attention To Detail: Carefully check it Print Your CV: Take a high quality printed copy of your CV when attending an interview Educatio n
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  Writing a CVfit for 2021 10 LinkedIn, Your online CV
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  11 10 Profile features Thetop 20 profile features you should check and update for 2021 Some of these top tips are very quick wins, some take a little longer, but any one of them could make all the difference for you and your career Use LinkedIn to create your personal brand and positively impact on how the outside world views you as a professional
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  12 1. Choose theright profile picture Your profile picture is your calling card on LinkedIn, it’s your first impression online There are some great posts explaining how to pick the right profile picture for LinkedIn, here're some quick tips to get you started; • make sure the picture is recent and looks like you • your face should takes up around 60% of the image • wear what you would like to wear to work Most importantly, smile with your eyes! Image
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  13 2. Give depth,add a background Background images are the second strongest visual element. Backgrounds grab attention, sets the context and show a little more about what matters to you The right background image helps you; • stand out • engage attention • stay memorable 3. Your headline is more than a job titleThere’s no rule that says the description at the top of your profile page has to be just a job title. Use the Headline field to; • say more about how you see your role • tell why you do what you do • show what makes you tick • be inspirational Background s & Headlines
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  14 4. Your summary isyour story First things first, make sure you have a LinkedIn Summary! Your summary tells your story, it’s not just a list your skills or the job titles you’ve had Bring to life why those skills matter and the difference they make to the people you work with Invest time, try a few drafts, and run your summary past people you know. This is your most personal piece of content marketing and the now effort will pay dividends 5. Buzz words, just don’t! Buzzwords are so often in LinkedIn headlines and summaries that they verge on meaningless The most over-used buzzwords include terms like ‘specialised’, ‘leadership’, ‘focused’, ‘strategic’, ‘experienced’, ‘passionate’, ‘expert’, ‘creative’, ‘innovative’ and ‘certified’ Using these words won’t convince people that you have these qualities, you need to demonstrate it Do this by the way you describe yourself and in the way you use LinkedIn profile features Summary & Buzz words
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  15 6. Build your network Quickwin to grow your LinkedIn Network; • synch your profile with your email address book • LinkedIn will suggest people for you to connect with • no connections are made without your permission • you can vet all potential connection Beyond this, get into the habit of; • Follow up every meeting and conversation with a LinkedIn connection request 7. List your relevant skills One of LinkedIn’s quickest of quick wins, simply scroll through the list of Skills and identify those that are relevant to you. Doing so helps to; • substantiate the description in your Headline and Summary • provides a platform for others to endorse you Stay relevant; a long list of skills that aren’t really core to who you are and what you do is not a good thing Network & Skills
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  16 8. Spotlight your services Servicesis a new LinkedIn feature that helps; • consultants • freelancers • individuals working for smaller businesses It showcase the range of services that they offer Filling out the Services section of your profile boosts your visibility in search results 9. Request recommendations Endorsements give people viewing your profile a quick, visual sense of what you’re valued for Recommendations take things a step further. They are personal testimonials written to illustrate the experience of working with you. Ask for Recommendations by using the drop-down section within your profile Think about who you would most value a recommendation from and personalise your request Services & Recommendatio ns
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  17 10. Add Comments AddingComments to your shares gives you greater prominence within the feed Well-expressed comments also enable you to share a broader range of content The more you share and comment on content, the more you establish your expertise and thought-leadership credentials Comments that express a viewpoint are more likely to draw additional comments, which in turn raises your profile Bear this mind when you’re writing your comment – and make sure you’re saying something you’re happy for people to associate with you Comments Publishing long-form posts is the natural next step to take Start by monitoring the response you get to your comments and shares. Are there particular subjects and points of view that seem to resonate with your network? Are there comments that you have shared which you feel you could expand on in a post? Evolving your thought-leadership in this way keeps it real and keeps you plugged into the issues your connections are talking about
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  18 Make LinkedIn work foryou The rewards will far outweigh the time spent in making your LinkedIn profile work harder for you Work through these tips, build from one to another, set aside a few minutes each day and you’ll soon find you’re making quick progress LinkedIn enables you to create your personal brand and positively impact on how the outside world views you as a professional Make 2021 the year it happens! Comments