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32 | LOOKING FOR A JOB | CV, COVER LETTER AND UNSOLICITED JOB SEARCH How to write a targeted CV Many companies will start by looking at your CV and will only read your cover letter if they find the CV interesting. Your chance of being considered for a job therefore really depends on your CV. This is why it’s important that your CV is well put together and tailored to the position you’re applying to. In the process of applying for their first job most people will need help on how to put together a CV that best presents their competences and qualifications that are relevant for the job in question. In this article, you’ll learn what a great CV includes and what it can look like. DID YOU KNOW THAT Î 88% of companies say that a CV from a new graduate should present the most important professional competences? Î 78% of companies say that a CV should describe relevant professional experiences? SOURCE: EXCERPTS FROM THE IDA ANALYSIS »VIRKSOMHEDERNES REKRUTTERINGSPRAKSIS 2020« (COMPANY RECRUITMENT PRACTICE 2020) Your CV is your catalogue of experience – the things you’ve learned As a new graduate, your CV may be lacking professional experience. It makes sense that you won’t have year- long employments to list when you’re young and have been busy getting your degree. A company that wants to hire a new graduate will not expect a lot of professional experience on the CV. Î Scan the code to see an example of a targeted CV SIX TIPS FROM IDA’S CAREER CONSULTANTS Î Always tailor your CV to the position Î Keep things clear, relevant and short. Avoid empty words Î A CV of 2 pages is best 1 page gives too little information, and not many new graduates have enough relevant information for a 3-page CV Î Guide the reader through your CV by using a straightforward layout - bullet points are welcome Î Companies prefer a photo on the CV, but this is not essential. If the company writes in the job ad that they do not want a photo, remove the photo Î Be meticulous and get someone else to check your CV for spelling mistakes and typos. YOURS SINCERELY SANNE MATTEBJERG AND EMILIE LINDQUIST, IDA CAREER CONSULTANTS
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| 33 There is no such thing as a perfect CV – but a targeted CV comes close to perfection A CV doesn’t have to look a certain way and there are many ways to put it together The most important thing is to choose the content first and then find a layout that best highlights the content. Regardless of layout, always remember to include a heading with some of the things requested. It’s a good idea to choose your academic title combined with a professional competence, method or process This will enable them to see that you meet some of their criteria The reader needs to quickly ascertain what you’re good at, so it’s important that you have a great profile text. The profile text should be a brief summary, approx. 5-7 sentences at the top of your CV, where you describe how you can contribute to the company and what they can expect if they hire you: What professional competences do you bring to the table, and how will you use these competences? This is really difficult unless you analyse the job ad and then call the company to clarify elements in the job ad and better understand the job Then make a chronological account of your education and professional experience. Deciding whether to present your education or professional experiences first varies from job to job. If you have recent experience – also from bartending and similar – this should usually be listed first. If you’re applying for a PhD position, list your education first. For each job and each educational qualification, it’s important that you ask yourself the following questions: what have I learned in this job/during my Master’s degree that points me towards/makes be better at this specific job I’m applying for? These are the competences you should write in bullets under the specific job or specific Master’s degree. This is how you target a CV, and you need to do this for every single job you are applying for. Quick selection – pretend your CV is being read by software The people who are going to assess your CV will only spend a short time sorting through the many applicants. Therefore, companies check to see whether the content of your CV matches the responsibilities of the new employee and the profile they have in mind, both professionally and in terms of personality. RELATED VIDEOS Mads Waidtløw Thomsen, career consultant at IDA, gives his best advice on how to write a good CV, how to structure it, and how to write a profile text that attracts companies’ attention.
