How to Get Your Dream Job: Start by Perfecting Your CV

By Editor1SYS | April 8, 2020 0 Comments

One of the hardest things that can happen to people, is that they see their dream job, but don’t quite match the job’s specifications listed. When this happens, doubt can creep in your mind and you might not even bother applying. However, just because you aren’t exactly what they are asking for on a paper, you should still apply. There are a few things that you can do to help you get that interview. But where do you start?

The first thing that you need to do, is perfect that CV of yours. You need to tailor it to the job that you are applying for. Job hunting can be intimidating, but it’s worth applying even if you don’t tick every box. So, when you spot that dream job of yours, don’t let it pass by – even if you don’t quite tick every box in the job spec. Don’t just aimlessly apply for it though, this isn’t going to win you any favours. Instead take the time to look and see what they are after. Once you’ve done this you can tailor your CV to their specific requirements. 

Employers Value Ambition

More often than not, if you are a graduate then you will have skills and experience that you don’t even realise that you have. You need to consider what you can bring to the role and how to best articulate this through your application. Sometimes it can hard to showcase all your attributes on your CV though (although it is a good idea to make sure that you add your skills on your CV), so instead you can shine through a cover letter. 

You should use your cover letter to highlight your broader skill set, what your career ambitions are and past achievements. Make sure to back this up by examples. You don’t just have to focus on your qualifications or your work experience, you can use your cover letter as an extra way to help you shine. Sure, your CV will have all the details on it that you need, but for a potential employer to see how much you could benefit them, you need to have a cover letter, the more ambitious the better.

Tailor Your CV to the Job

What good is having a cover letter if you don’t perfect your CV. Perfecting your CV is a necessary step in landing that dream job of yours. Start off by thinking about the design of your CV and what the job is that you are applying for. For example, if you are applying for a job that asks if you can use something like InDesign, then you can use this to help jazz up your CV. Not only will this attract the attention of the person, but it will also show them that you know how to use the software that they want (just make sure you use it well).

Often the hardest part of perfecting your CV is getting started on it. So many people struggle to form a basic CV because they are worried that nothing will be good enough. However, there are ways to get around this. For example, some people will create a CV with this online cv maker, once the CV has been created, they feel more confident editing it afterwards. It’s a lot easier to edit your CV a hundred times once you have all the basic details on it and can see what it looks like. You will need to make sure that you edit your CV a hundred times, as every time you apply for a job, you need to make sure that you tailor it to the specific job requirements. 

Check for Any Errors

This might sound obvious enough, but so many people don’t double check their CV once they have finished editing it. You need to make sure that you have spelled everything correctly, that you have included the right contact information. Your first draft of your CV will have mistakes in it. The only way to ensure that this doesn’t happen is to take the time to read over it carefully. Sometimes even just taking a break and coming back to it later can help you spot those tiny mistakes.

A simple spelling mistake might be enough to stop you from getting your job. Think of it this way, if you are applying for a job that expects you to write a lot, who will they employ? The person with the perfect spelling or grammar, or the person with one spelling mistake? It may be dull, but it is a really important step. You can even get your friends and family to double check it for you as well, as they might be able to spot something that you had previously missed. ‘

Once you’ve perfected your CV and you manage to get an interview, you still need to make sure that you up your game. You can read this article here about how you can lose a job in ten minutes. It’s better to be prepared so that this doesn’t happen!