Patricia Weglarz (above, right) is an Occupational Psychologist who specialises in the field of career coaching, training and personal development. Her aim is to enable individuals, whatever their career stage, to achieve their full potential and exceed their expectations.
Every year, Patricia comes in to the WFTV office to run a workshop with our mentees to help them write effective CVs that get noticed, so that they can make the next essential step in their careers. Here are her top tips on how to hone your CV for that role you really want…
Think of your CV as your ‘film trailer ‘- you may have less than 30 seconds to impress, or your CV could end up on the ‘reject’ pile!
1. Keep it focused and relevant – write your CV with the target role in mind. Amplify what is relevant, and review what is not. Knowledge and skills are often transferable, and unrelated experience may add value to your CV if you can make the connection – if not edit it out.
2. Think of your CV as your ‘film trailer ‘- you may have less than 30 seconds to impress, or your CV could end up on the ‘reject’ pile! Grab your readers’ attention in the first few lines with engaging factual content that meets their needs, and makes them want to find out more.
3. Your CV is not your job description! Use strong, active verbs to describe what you have done, how you did it and what you have achieved. Not just the ‘big moments’, analyse your roles and identify all the positive outcomes that you have been responsible for, then sprinkle judiciously through your CV.
4. If your screen or audio credits are blockbusters then the titles alone will probably get you through the door. A list of unknown credits on a CV however, is very easy to overlook. Pique the readers’ interest with a short one/two line descriptor of each piece which collectively builds a picture of your relevant skills and expertise.
5. It sounds obvious but make sure your CV looks appealing and is easy to read! Organise your content clearly and logically, be consistent in your layout and use a crisp screen friendly font. Avoid long paragraphs of text, and use bullet points if appropriate.
You can find out more about Patricia and the services she offers by visiting her website www.Brightfuture.org.uk, e-mail: patricia@brightfuture.org.uk or call: 07946 843154.