I published an article titled “Steve Clarke pleads for work at the roadside” 21st June 2012, which highlighted the plight of a local man who was at the end of his tether looking for work after been made redundant 11 months prior. I made contact with Steve to see if we could offer some support as his story struck a chord with us here at The CV Righter.
As Steve had made over 300 applications but had only secured 5 interviews we made a strong assumption that his CV was not saying the right things about him and with little assistance out there for him and others in his position – we extended a free service to re-write his CV and offer advice about making applications for roles. At the time through the media attention Steve had gained from sitting at a roadside with a placard asking for work, he had been offered a temporary role on minimum wage which he was delighted at accepting and certainly helped him keep afloat whilst he looked to make further applications in his field as a Quality Assurance Engineer.
We re-wrote Steve’s CV ensuring it contained the information employers expect to see on a CV for such a role and ensured the content was true to Steve’s experience through constant communication. Once Steve and I were happy with the end result we then advised Steve to start making applications and ensuring his CV was searchable by recruiters and employers alike.
I received great news from Steve last week that he had been for an interview using the new CV at a local business which is currently expanding – he received fantastic feedback on his CV and his interview was a complete success, resulting in him being offered a rolling contract, there and then at the interview. Steve is delighted with the outcome and so are we!
As previously discussed in my blog we feel the help out there for those found unemployed is not good enough – however we hope sharing tips on writing CVs is useful and we offer a competitive service for those who find themselves in Steve’s position. We only wish we could offer a free service for everyone in this position. One service we do offer is a free CV review through our contact page.
One of the key areas I find in CVs which do not secure interviews is the core content of the roles themselves – often candidates feel a job title and basic summary will cover their expertise. I cannot emphasise more that job titles can be very misleading and what is standard in one company may not be in another – do not assume the hiring manager knows what you can do / have done. Write a list of your duties and then look to add some context by talking through what each competency actually means in that business.
The CV Writer specialises in project management CVs however – with extensive experience in careers advice for all types of roles we can also work with CVs from all walks of life.