How will a professional CV writing service help me?
Job seekers today are faced with many challenges, not least when seeking the services of a CV writing company. The CV writing market is overcrowded -flooded with perplexing promises and uncertain guarantees. These days almost anyone who can use a keyboard can profess to be able to write the perfect CV.
Adding to the complexity is the fact that job seekers face an uphill battle when submitting their CVs to recruitment agencies, head-hunters and employers – who are increasingly expectant and pretty savvy when searching for and screening candidates. Understandably so. Recruiting staff is a time-consuming and expensive business – and recruiters have to hire the right candidate for the job else their own job is on the line!
So how do I choose the best CV service?
You know what you want in a job. Make sure you know what to look for in a CV service? These tips will help…
• first impressions count – assess the presentation and content of the CV company’s website: this should be welcoming, concise and easy to understand – just as you’d like your CV to come across
• review an example of a curriculum vitae written for your specific audience
• how long has the company has been in business? More than 8 years is a fair guide to the level of experience and quality you can expect
• don’t be tempted by low cost CV writing services – the old adage ‘you’ll receive what you pay for’ often rings true
• credentials – expect to work with a professional CV writer, for instance an MBA or CIPD or a former recruiter with a combination of business, marketing and specialized industry experience
What makes a good CV?
Four words – ONE TO ONE COMMUNICATION!
Client insight should be at the heart of writing a CV that opens doors. The process of writing a CV should start with gaining an insight into your career, strengths, USPs, experience, ambitions and job target job. This takes time and a personal consultation is the essential first step. Without this knowledge it is impossible for a writer to produce a compelling, personalised document that fully reflects you.
Market research is the next step in order to gain insight into what hirers are expecting in your specific, highly competitive job market. A good CV writer will happily work with you to plan tactics and identify the best keyword targets to optimise interest in your offering. Differentiation is key. Why are you better than another candidate?
Central to this is understanding and show-casing your USPs in terms of what you have achieved and how you have added value – then weaving these ‘gems’ into evidence-based, engaging content – directly matched to the talent required by and expectations of your future employer. This approach is what generates interviews and job offers!
This is the essence of good CV writing. To be truly effective, this requires creative writing expertise – not the ability to churn out a keyword stuffed CV.
Where to submit your CV
Targeting the right audience is crucial to your success. Mass submissions of your CV to 100s of job websites using CV distribution services could be shooting in the dark and a false economy. To fill in a form, sit back and wait for the phone to ring is tempting – a quick, cheap and painless approach. This method might be okay for job seekers at the lower end of the market, however from my experience it is not one that generates quality results.
Another option is to research and register with recruitment agencies specialising in your career sector and geographical area. Google is a fantastic resource for researching job opportunities. And don’t forget LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
Conclusion
In summary, if you take the time to do your research then ultimately you will select and build a relationship and feel comfortable with your CV writer – one who will stay with you throughout your upward journey on the career ladder. And your investment in time and money will be well worthwhile.