There are too many experts telling us what to do and not do with our CV. Most of us become quite brainwashed or too afraid to use our own common sense in deciding what to do for improving our CV.

If you have work experience then you have a great and valuable asset that can be of benefit to your future employer. Your CV has to make others see this fact.

So keep the following points in mind to create an effective CV.

1) The Resume Summary is crucial.

What is a summary? Right on top of the CV there has to be a summary. A summary is a brief headline on who you are, what you are good at and why you can be good at a certain type of job in your field. The purpose of a summary is to help the person who views your resume to connect with you.

It helps the viewer spot the relevant. For Eg. Civil Engineer with 14 years of experience in heading projects for developing residential townships. Eg. Sales Executive with experience in business development in projects and channel sales development in the paint industry

Most people make the mistake of treating a resume summary as a platform for emphasis, delivery, advertising and selling oneself. The purpose is different. It is a psychological angle. You have to be subtle and tempt them to read your CV.

What is it aimed to do? It has to lead the person viewing it in a direction. It must show why you are a good choice.

This is what a summary should be. A summary should be a brief. Never more than 3 to 4 points that state who you are, at what level you are and a few points on what you have contributed in your trade, profession or industry. But this is not a place for bragging. It must be factual.

# It must have a single focus which is directed to the post you are applying for. If you have done different things that you are good at or have good experience in different fields the person reading it will either get confused or not be able to connect with it. It must show your suitability and relevance for a post and must have a single focus or specialization.

2) Focus on your expertise.

What does expertise mean? Expertise is about what you have acquired during your working with various organizations. You have worked at a profession and acquired skills and you have become good at doing certain things that have added value to the company, that is your expertise.

Every company is looking for expertise, the value you can bring to the job and the company. A successful CV communicates your expertise, what you can offer to the company as a professional.

#To communicate your expertise.
1. Be specific about your work function, and what you have done in the companies you have worked in.
2. Communicate exactly what you implemented that benefited the operations, service, sales or whatever you were /are handling.

3) Highlight your achievements

Most professionals find it difficult to define their achievements. But everyone has achievements that come as a natural course of doing a job well. Remember if you did not do the job well the company would have sacked you.

You have to define your own achievements. This is because even when you do the routine aspects of your job well like being accurate in maintaining books of accounts, routine preventive maintenance of machinery or handling the administration of an office where all systems are in place or working as a security guard at a bank with a gun and never ever getting a chance to shoot the bad guys- You are still doing a job well but in your mind you do not define it as such.

Many of your achievements do not find a place in the resume because job seekers think that an achievement is only about doing something great for which you are recognized and for which you get appreciation or awards. So add whatever you have implemented in your routine job functions as well, which have benefited the company

#Your bragging rights are yours in your CV. But be sure to explain the achievement in a factual manner.

4) Show your work experience with precision.

Most job seekers believe that a CV must be a historical record about themselves. They tend to describe what they have done in each of the companies that they have worked in. This often results in a lot of reading material without a sharp focus and expertise tends to get lost as hidden data in all that reading material.

Job descriptions tend to be common for a profession so you do not need to spell it out in great detail. Avoid lengthy descriptions about your roles and keep it short and factual. Work experience has to be well presented for each company.

#Remember that it is important to change the content of your job description for each of the companies you have worked for. You have to show different angles. Never give a common list of functions applying to all the companies you worked in.

5) Be factual and crisp about your information.

Avoid giving boring descriptions. Give facts and figures instead. Many jobseekers feel that using flowery or emphatic verbs show that you are dynamic. A person who is trying to get to the point of finding your expertise through the shortest possible route is not going to be impressed with verbosity.

Hiring managers and placement consultants are experienced in handling massive volumes of CVs at the screening level. They are experts in giving a quick reading with a sharp focus on looking out for expertise that connects to what they need. So your CV must direct them to information that will show them why you are good at your job so that they can take a decision on you being a good choice.

#Crisp, short and precise sentences are easy to understand, so focus on keeping it simple while showing your expertise.
A resume well laid out in design makes reading easy. This is a very important factor because it makes the recruiters’ job easier.

Remember a good CV will be as good as how accurately and effectively you can show why you are a good choice. The job market is a competitive place. You may be extremely good at your job or have wonderful achievements but your CV must communicate this to others to be effective. =======================================================A majority of professionals who are very good at their jobs do not express it effectively or clearly! To know if your CV is effective and highlights your skills and expertise, send it for a FREE evaluation and feedback to : limasehgal@gmail.com

Most jobseekers go through a lot of trouble trying to make their resume look good and professional. But there is more to your resume than just putting in data under specific headers and choosing a good design. Even a well written resume can have loopholes.

Every jobseeker must watch out for these loopholes and errors. These stumbling blocks make sure that your CV goes into the trash box. These are items that irritate, prejudice or show weaknesses. Or it may be information that over talks or misinforms.

Everything in your resume is important. But what has to go in and what has to show is a fundamental decision that needs to be taken.

Here is a list of mistakes no jobseeker can ever afford to make: 

1) Avoid putting in your “objectives”.

Headers saying “Objectives” are dangerous because if what you write on top of your CV does not match what the company wants, then it is a sure shot way of getting rejected.

Also, no company  is really interested in what your objectives are,  they mostly care about their own objectives…which happens to be – Do you fit in or not?

Instead, put a brief summary about your experience and your contribution to previous companies. If you are a fresher it’s best to avoid this section. There are other formats you can use and other ways in which you can talk about yourself.

2) Do NOT make grammatically incorrect statements.

Resumes are supposed to be a presentation. The fact that you are talking about you is naturally understood.

So avoid writing your resume in the- First-person or the Third-person.Your resume shouldn’t include the words “I,” “me,” “she,” or “my,”  “He “– This is grammatically incorrect and proves your English is weak.

Also the tense is important- In school we learnt that there are grammar rules about past, present and future tenses. So you cannot be “doing” something if you are talking about your previous jobs. It has to go into past tense.

You may not be an expert in grammar, but you can check your resume for mistakes on the internet or on the Microsoft Word program on your computer.. Be especially careful if you are applying for international jobs. You have to show that you know the standard international English.

3) Do not include your marital status

Technically no one is entitled to ask you about your marital status. Or if you have kids, a happy marriage or your divorce status. So don’t put it in the CV. It creates pictures of stereotypes that can create prejudice in the mind of the person shortlisting.

4) Avoid mentioning your religion.

Religion again can create stereotypical images. If someone has a religious preference or a prejudice it will definitely be a sure shot way of getting rejected. It’s best to keep religion out of your resume!

5) No need for declaring your underprivileged status.

People don’t care about how underprivileged you are. Most people are only interested in how you can improve or contribute to their companies.

Mentioning that you belong to  a category of -Schedule Caste, OBC, Tribal, Minority is relevant only if you are applying for jobs  that have a reservation / provision for that category. But avoid it everywhere else.

6) Avoid “The Declaration”.

Many people declare  at the end of the CV that whatever they have said is true and  put in a signature to stamp it . Your CV is not a legal document but I wonder why so many jobseekers want to swear that it is an honest document. I wonder why? Gets me suspicious. So leave it alone…

7) No need to put in “References on Request”.

Either you give it or don’t give it. On request means you are saying that you have something up your sleeve and are not in the mood to declare it now.

I suggest don’t put a references list on the CV – Even if you want to impress the hiring organization about how great your contacts are.

8) Hobbies are a NO-NO.

No one really cares about what you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Even if you are a fresher who is desperately tying to fill a page of data on your resume, don’t put a hobbies section. Mentioning hobbies in your resume had become redundant.

9) Your Family Background is not required.

The CV is not a platform for displaying your family tree. Keep your report on family members, their age, what they do, and how many of them depend on your income out of your CV. It is boring and irrelevant.

10) Avoid Sob Stories.

Many people put in a reason for  a gap between jobs or an unemployment period. Leave it alone- Talking about it beings it to notice.

There is no need to give a  reason or make a statement of justification. Having a baby, divorce, death in the family, getting sacked, retrenched etc, can be explained if required at an interview. Putting it on your CV creates unnecessary offerings of data which may not attract a  positive reaction.

As a jobseeker you have access to a lot of help and support information on the internet. Even so, stupid mistakes on your resume are not detected easily. So please take intelligent decisions regarding your resume development and ensure that your CV is absolutely error free.

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If you want your resume checked for fundamental mistakes please email your resume to limasehgal@gmail.com for a free feedback & evaluation.

Copyright © 2015, Lima Sehgal
Lima Sehgal is Publisher, Author and Career Solutions Specialist.

Placement Consultants earn their revenue from their clients after placement of a suitable candidate with their client company.

The placement agency will wade through over a 1000 CVs, sometimes before they shortlist 5 – 10 resumes and send them to the client for preliminary approval.

Interviews will be arranged based on the client’s selection from the CVs sent to them.

What chance do you have of being shortlisted? How do you beat the competition?

You have to ensure that your CV projects your expertise in a professional manner. Remember, a recruiter spends no more than 10 to 30 seconds to decide whether you are suitable for a job.

Your CV must also have a concise cover letter that effectively distills your achievements into 2 to 3 brief paragraphs.

You must ensure your CV reaches the concerned person carrying out the recruitment process for the client. You must then establish a personal rapport with the recruiter so that they remember you as a person with the expertise that is being sought. Do not just mail your CV – pick up the phone and speak to the recruiter. Remember, a good recruiter will ALWAYS speak with you.

It is essential for all recruiters to shortlist suitable candidates who they think will fit into the post. This they do by one or more of the following methods:

1) Placement Consultants use their own database – become a part of it.
When people apply for vacancies to recruiters, they keep the resume, even if the applicant is not fitting the requirement that is being advertised. Therefore, it is a must if you’re a job seeker to keep applying to different recruiters. Recruiters usually have lots of resumes which they keep receiving. They often go through their databases when their requirements change. Thus, sending your resume to recruiters can have long term results, and if you aren’t contacted immediately, it shouldn’t worry you.

2) Placement Consultants post vacancies on Job websites and portals – search and apply.
They post vacancies on job websites and portals. Applying through portals in very important if you’re searching for a job. Sometimes there is no other way of finding an opening other than through consultant portals.
You must browse through job portals on a regular basis to filter out current vacancies that may apply to you. You should apply online, and you must contact the consultant directly to follow up on your online application.

3) Placement Consultants headhunt through social media – be social!
Social media has a become a prime ground for searching for candidates. This is why nearly all advice revolves around strengthening your social media presence. If you are searching for a job, you must make sure your social media accounts are professional and reflect your skills.
Linkedin is a major resource for job hunting today. Your linkedin profile should be like your resume, it should portray your key skills and your activity should reflect you are a professional. The linkedin profile picture should be also be appropriate, like a picture you would use in your CV.
Applying through various groups and posts on linkedin can indeed land you a job if you fit their requirement and they are impressed by your profile.
Is your CV getting you results? Is it reflecting your skills and expertise? Is it up to international standard? Now get a professional CV written by us that gets you results.

Send your CV to Lima Sehgal on limasehgal@gmail.com for a free evaluation.

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Copyright © 2015, Lima Sehgal
Lima Sehgal is Publisher, Author and Career Solutions Specialist. 

The amazing fact is that a powerful resume is within everyone’s reach. Yours too!
Most people believe that resumes need to profound and magical. The truth is that the most powerful resume is always the simplest in expression and format.

A powerful resume must connect: –
Most of us are under the false impression that the boss who is hiring is the one who needs to be impressed. That usually happens at a later stage. Resumes are read by many people who are just part of a process of hiring- like the junior Kid who is given a pile of applications and a job description and told to pick the best 5 out of a 100 resumes. Or it may be a placement firm who has a list of possible candidates who fit in and has to pick the best in terms of availability and suitability. So the resume which is clear in presenting what the job description defines is the one that connects.

A powerful resume can be understood: –
If the people who are shortlisting are either placement firms or HR people armed with a job description, then, you better make sure that everyone understands it. So just littering it with jargon or keywords will not help. There is a human being who is reading your resume and if your resume is not clear on expertise, then the natural tendency is to move to the next- After all in a populated country like India when it comes to applications there is plenty to choose from.

A powerful resume is clear on showing your expertise: –
This is the toughest part of writing a resume. Expertise is not about lengthy descriptions or self praise. It is about your actual work. So if you decide to write your resume- ask yourself this question- why should they hire me? That is what must be shown in your resume in precise, simple language.
A powerful resume has a good design.This is important because presentation is important. A good design format can make a CV stand out from a pile of applications. It does not bore you. The recruiter should not have to scroll forever without getting to the point. Most importantly – It presents your expertise where it is easily visible.

A powerful resume is updated: –
The most terrible thing that you can do to yourself is to do a shoddy job on updating your CV. Updating does not mean just adding on data, it means changing your entire presentation. The current job is most important, but all other aspects must have a good representational balance too.
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Get a powerful CV written by us now. We will create a resume that presents your expertise, showcases your special skills and spells out why you are good. We will create a CV that gives you an edge over the competition by using a formal but modern design format. One that is compatible with International standards.

We make a customized CV after detailed interactions with you, with a focus on the job you are targeting. It will greatly enhance your job search.

Send your CV for a FREE EVALUATION at: limasehgal@gmail.com

Copyright © 2015, Lima Sehgal
Lima Sehgal is Publisher, Author and Career Solutions Specialist.