how to make a cv your best marketing tool

Web: www.connor.co.uk | Email: [email protected] | Tel: 01491 414 010 1

How To Make A CV Your Best Marketing Tool

Web: www.connor.co.uk | Email: [email protected] | Tel: 01491 414 010


Your CV is the marketing platform by which you are able to make a great first impression. It is the crucial tool that can make the difference between getting that face to face interview…..or landing on the rejection pile. CVs typically go onto three piles, ‘yes,’ ‘maybe,’ and ‘no.’ A vast majority of those in the ‘maybe’ pile are ‘responsibilities’ based CVs, where the individual just lists their responsibilities in their previous roles. The problem with this is twofold: firstly, there is no evidence to show that you have been successful in your role; secondly, you are not giving the reviewer enough information to put you on the ‘yes’ pile.

Due to the fact that the market is still extremely competitive, a ‘maybe’ is the equivalent of a ‘no,’ as there are always enough on the ‘yes’ pile that we don’t need to re-visit the ‘maybes.’

So HOW do you get on the ‘yes’ pile?




The most powerful CVs are the ones that contain evidence of your success/ achievements in your roles - demonstrating your potential value to the next employer, thus getting you on the ‘yes’ pile. Most CVs that we see contain achievements that are heavily action orientated, e.g., “I implemented a new order processing system”. This is a start but is not compelling, it doesn’t answer the so what! Achievements need to be specific to the type of role you are applying for; for example, if you are applying for a Marketing Communications role, whose duties involve organising trade seminars, then it would certainly help if you have written on your CV an achievement that relates to a recent time where you successfully organised a trade seminar, that resulted in significant new business for your employer. So HOW do you identify and formulate your achievements ready for your CV? A very easy way is by using a method known as the STAR Technique. What is the STAR Technique? The STAR technique is a simple way to help you identify and formulate your achievements:- S = SITUATION (The ‘Why’) Gives the business context and provides meaningT = TASK (The ‘What’) Explains specifically what is the task in handA = ACTION (The ‘How’) What did you do? R = RESULT (The ‘So what’) What is the objective evidence of success?


How have you made the company money?

How have you saved the company money?

How have you improved productivity?

How have you increased customer satisfaction or resolved a customer

issue?

How have you improved a process or a procedure?

How have you performed against targets set?

Recognition/ complimentary e-mails from customers/ suppliers/ your boss

etc

What was your proudest achievement in your last role?

An example of this could be: SITUATION: Revenues were falling and all departments, including Human Resources, were asked to reduce costs. TASK: To increase the number of ‘free’ hires and reduce the number of candidates hired through recruitment agencies. ACTION: Through extensive research I identified the appropriate on-line job sites for each key role that I could advertise directly through. I negotiated preferential rates. I ran eight advertising campaigns in a 6 month period. RESULT: Comparing the recent six month period with the same period last year I reduced agency fees from £8,500 per new hire to £5,000 resulting in an overall saving of £42,000.

Remember the most important element of STAR is the ‘R’ (i.e. the R of star). Listed below are some reminders:




How should this look on your CV? The above example is rather long to include on a CV, especially for multiple achievements! Therefore it’s important to condense these down so that they are shorter and punchier. We can condense this down into a tick or a bullet point to capture the key points like so: I was tasked with reducing the company’s recruitment costs and through extensive research into online

advertising and appropriate on-line job sites, I was able to’ save the business £42,000 in Recruitment Agency fees.


For two decades Connor has forged a reputation for our bespoke Outplacement service that places the individual at the heart of everything we do. For us, Outplacement is more than a service - it’s a vocation and we take our commitment to making a difference very seriously.

What our clients say about Connor:

That we are PASSIONATE about making a difference; That we are highly personable and accessible; That we are able to really connect with individuals at all levels; That we offer practical job hunting tips that work in the “real world”; That we focus on the proactive methods of generating job opportunities rather than merely writing a CV! That we are often able to directly place people into their next role through using our network of industry contacts.

We are NOT just an outplacement provider……

We also supply our clients with:

• Strategic HR Projects

• Performance Management

• Organisational change

• Career Coaching & Development

• Executive Coaching

• Bespoke training & development

Look Out For More From Connor

To find out more please contact Sam Eaton using the details below:

Call Sam: 01491 414 010

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Connor_HR

Website: www.connor.co.uk

mailto:[email protected]

https://twitter.com/Connor_HR

https://twitter.com/Connor_HR

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