How to write an authentic CV
Tips to show the ‘real you’ and find a job that you’ll love
Your CV is what is going to get the attention of the recruiters and hiring managers out there, and that’s why everyone looking for a job spends so much time designing and reviewing their CV. Is it the right format? Did I include everything? Is too long? So many questions that will have a different answer depending on who you’re talking to.
That’s right – unfortunately, recruitment is a subjective process. Something you write might resonate with a recruiter, whilst it might turn off another one. it remains a human-to-human interaction, even if the recruitment industry tries to automate the selection process with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and other tools.
That’s why I’m a strong believer in being authentic and showing your real self on your CV.
Don’t get me wrong, nothing stops you from making it ATS-friendly (you’ll find tips here). But you can have an ATS-friendly CV full of keywords AND an authentic CV that represents the real you.
Where does my belief come from?
I hate the phrase “fake it till you make it”. It’s a personal thing and I respect that others might find this affirmation useful. The reason why I think it’s problematic is because if you put a mask on, if you act ‘fake’, then it’s likely you’ll end up doing something that’s not aligned to who you truly are.
The other reason behind being authentic on your CV is that it will help you avoid the organisations and people that you don’t want to work with. If they’re doing their job correctly, recruiters will spot in your profile that you’re not in alignment with their culture.
I’ve developed this belief throughout my career in HR and career coaching, seeing people unhappy in their jobs because they didn’t take the time to think about what they truly want. It’s time to make decisions that will land you in the right place, and it starts with your CV.
How do you build an authentic CV?
Let’s look at the different sections on your CV
The top part of your CV, which usually includes your personal statement, is the most powerful one.
Recruiters take between 10 and 30 seconds to assess a candidate based on their CV. So, what they read first is what will make them want to continue reading and getting to know you.
Your personal statement is where you can be truly authentic, by inserting your values, your personality traits and your strengths. Start by identifying what they are first (check out the resources at the bottom of the page) and then weaving the keywords that best represent you in your personal statement. You can also include your career mission (i.e. the impact you want to have) and the type of organisations you want to work for (e.g. innovators in the healthcare industry, or well-established retailers, etc.) to show that you are clear about what you’re looking for.
After that come your key skills: the ones that you want to showcase. First of all, try not to be too generic (e.g. customer service) and make your skills relevant to the jobs you apply to (e.g. customer service in luxury retail). I’d recommend that you use the same descriptors that you find on job ads so that you speak the ‘recruiters language’. Think of both hard and soft skills that you want to highlight, and don’t forget to include specialist software and languages spoken if that’s applicable.
Let’s move on to your professional experience.
List there your professional experiences starting with the most recent ones. Don’t forget to include volunteering roles, internships and placements if they’re relevant to the jobs you’re applying to.
For each role, state clearly your job title, the organisation you worked for and the dates you’ve worked there. You could include a sentence about the company (industry, number of employees, global remit, etc.) if you feel the context can be useful. In one sentence, describe what you were responsible for in that role, then list your achievements in bullet points below: targets that you’ve achieved (if there’s a number, add it), projects you’ve contributed to or led, anything that you’re proud of and want to showcase.
Don’t list all the skills involved in the role, especially if they’re repeated in your other roles. You could save space by adding these to the key skills section at the top of your CV.
Keep the ‘education’ section simple
Here, list the degrees, diplomas, certifications, qualifications that are relevant to your job. Stick to the bare minimum: name of the diploma or course, name of the school or organisation, the year you completed it. If a special project or dissertation is relevant to the roles you’re applying to, you could add them there.
Consider removing the older diplomas if they are not relevant anymore. Also ask yourself whether your GCSEs or A-levels (or any other secondary education) is relevant.
Finally, let’s talk about your personal interests.
This was one of my favourite sections when I was recruiting, because it gave me a glimpse into the real person behind the CV! It can also help you to create a personal connection with the recruiter or hiring manager. I’d recommend that you don’t skip it but keep it simple. List there your hobbies, sports, reading interests, what you’re learning about, how you like to spend your spare time. If socialising and cooking with friends is what you love doing, then write it down!
What else can you do to build a great CV?
Ask someone in your industry to review your CV – a colleague, mentor, recruiter, stranger on LinkedIn. Offer them a coffee and ask them what’s the market is like in your industry and profession and see if they can give you advice on your CV and job search.
When you apply for jobs, don’t be scared to ask for feedback.
Resources
Identify your values: https://www.peopleatheartcoaching.com/what-are-my-values
Take a personality test: https://www.16personalities.com/
Assess your strengths: https://www.strengthsprofile.com/en-gb