The Brutal Truth: Your CV is not Instagram
In a world of social media it is becoming more common for CV’s to take on a social media twist, but that isn’t what we need or want.
Okay, so if you are applying for a social media position, making your CV look like an Insta post or similar is good, but I am talking about two things here, common to many applications: Photos and Language
Firstly on photos.
Please remember: You are applying for a career with us, not to be our next OnlyFans page! There, I said it! Trust me when I say that in many environments I have worked in, if you have a picture that shoots straight down your cleavage or has you baring your chest in speedos on some foreign beach, it is likely to be ogled by half the office with comments varying from “so when are they coming for interview as I want their number” to “just why would you put that pic on your CV?”
We all know the adage that ‘sex sells’, but not when applying for a career. And you are so much better than being hired as a bit of eye candy.
This scenario is not true for many applicants or companies, but I have worked in those where it is, sadly. To this day I still hear stories of people hired because they were ‘fit’ – it adds little to your professional portfolio in the long run.
Including a photo is personal choice; I don’t on my CV but many do. Generally however, this should be a head shot only; no low cut tops, no fancy filters, just a professional shot of shoulders up on a plain background. So take that picture of you at the club with angel wings off your CV, even if you are #feelingcute
As a rule: the photo is one of your first impressions we see. Think how you want to present yourself to a potential employer and make your photo fit this impression.
Next: Language
The simple truth is that CVs are regularly littered with typos, text speak, or statements that really shouldn’t be there.
There is some debate on whether you do or don’t put a reason for leaving; I generally say to leave this until interview. And honestly, it is a red flag to us if you start slagging off your old employer on your CV or interview. I have seen it, and whilst we get there may be ‘creative differences’, there are also ways to put things that don’t make you sound like you hold an axe-wielding grudge.
But text speak is a no-no and proper language construction is vital. It’s not because we value your experience any less, but you will likely be representing our company in communication with customers. We can’t have people signing off emails with ‘k, c u l8r’
I said in my last post that personality needs to come through on your CV, but there is a limit when it comes to being too casual. At this point we care about your ability to do the job, not your social dramas or ability to chat on WhatsApp with your mates. It’s not that we want cold and uncaring and boring, we just want properly constructed sentences that have been checked for typos and present you professionally. A golden nugget of advice is to get your CV ready, leave it an hour or so and go back after reading something else – you will find things you want to alter.
We also understand there are those with difficulty typing, addressing people formally, or with dyslexia, dyspraxia or a host of other traits. That is perfectly okay and we as employers and recruiters are happy to work with you if these are concerns you have. So please do not take this as we will dismiss you for having any trouble communicating because of anything like this. Whether you want to put this on your CV is personal choice, but if you don’t have anyone to proof read your CV, then a small note to explain when you apply will help us understand.
I suppose what I am rounding to here is that your CV is a professional document; it is how you present to a company wanting to potentially pay you thousands of pounds a year. All we want is an awareness of the use of spellcheck or proofreading hints (as when we open it, we get all this blue and red lines under words as well).
Next time – The Brutal Truth: Your friends are the best, and worst, proofreaders!
