What is the Purpose of a CV?
The question may seem futile. Yet, a large majority of candidates do not know the answer: what is the purpose of a CV?
Are you among those who think that the purpose of a CV is to find you a job? Well, you are all wrong! “The purpose of the CV is to land you an interview, and most candidates are not aware of this,” explains Sophie Gros d'Aillon, a recruitment specialist of 15 years. It makes all the difference: the CV should not be seen as only an accessory, but rather as a key destined to open the door to the office of a potential employer for you. It therefore plays a vital role: if you want to land an interview, your CV needs to elicit the desire to meet you.
Giving recruiters what they expect
In order to understand the usefulness of the CV, you must be interested in its journey: recruiters, who must look at a large number of CVs daily, will peruse it very quickly. That is why the relevant information must jump right out at them. “When they scan the CVs of candidates, recruiters are looking for specific keywords. Thus, it is always a good idea to include in your CV the exact terms found in the ads,” says Sophie Gros d'Aillon.
Using the right words
If one cannot use the exact same words, one should choose words in the same family. If, for example, the employer is looking for an accounting technician, and that is not exactly your function at this time, the employer must find terms that are related to accounting in your CV. “The recruiter does not need (and does not have the time) to try to guess which aptitudes you may have acquired; they must be written out clearly on the page,” insists the specialist. Also, if you do not want to miss out on some great opportunities, choose your vocabulary carefully!
Customize your CV to the position targeted
The ideal, of course, is the personalized CV tailored to the position being targeted. If you want it to generate interest in the reader, do some research on the company, find out about its objectives, culture, challenges… Include as many elements as possible that will create the desire to know you better.
Finally, think about keeping your CV up to date. As soon as there is a change (a project, achievement, promotion…) remember to add it in. It is the simplest and most effective way not to forget anything.