For anyone starting out in the world of corporate and careers, it can be very tough. With no experience, and in many instances, with no qualifications, getting a look in for any opportunity can be hard. But that opportunity will come, and when it does you need to make sure that you are able to maximise it to its fullest extent. It all comes down to building the best possible curriculum vitae and this is something that doesn’t happen overnight. It is, however, something that you need to keep in mind throughout your working life. With that in mind here are a few tips and ideas to help you build the best CV.
Qualifications
The thing that underpins any CV is the qualifications that appear on it. It isn’t simply a case of the more the better. They need to be as current as possible and they need to build on each other. Anyone who looks at a CV will look through the qualifications and see read into it, things like focus, ability, and quality. If you start with a diploma in business management, they will want to see that you have built on it with bachelors and maybe an MBA. If you just managed to pass your first degree and never did anything else, it might send a message that says you are not that bright or that interested. The point is, always keep learning and adding to your body of knowledge.
Federations and industry bodies
It is very important to serve on extra-curricular bodies and committees. Potential employers love to see involvement with industry bodies and organisations on a CV. Being involved with organisations such as these is good for you for two reasons – firstly it looks great on your CV (especially if you are involved in some marquee projects or achievements) and secondly, it affords you the opportunity to network and connect with other players in the industry. You may well be surprised by what opportunities open up for you if you are involved in such a body.
Awards
A CV that has awards on it always looks impressive – whatever they may be for. For this reason, you need to get involved in work that could win your team awards. And more than that, you need to know what sort of awards are out there to be won and make sure that your company is entering work into them. There are always opportunities to win awards. For creativity, best of the breed, ideas or execution – the awards will differ from field to field, but there are always opportunities to win things and you need to make sure that you are in the mix to receive things. It is a differentiator and it looks great on a CV.
Do the time
Don’t jump from job to job. It is very important that you spend enough time in a position to actually be able to make a difference. A person who moves around too much appears to lack staying power and the ability to work successfully as part of a team. You don’t need to stay in a position forever, but you shouldn’t be jumping ships after a year on the job.
