The One Thing I Will Almost Never Do For A Client
People often come to see me when they need help to find a new job. Once we have established what they are looking for, the next step is to look at how they are going to market themselves, followed by the strategy they will use for their search. This process includes coaching on writing Cover Letters, CVs, and Linked In Profiles. We often spend a lot of time talking about how to make sure these work as effectively as they can do in a job search.
It can be a challenging process for clients. CVs need to be formatted in a way that is up-to-date, and relevant to the country they are going to be used in. They need to include relevant information. They need to draw attention to the right things. And they need to do justice to the skills and experience that clients have to offer. Investment in getting the best information that is relevant for your job search, and the help you need can make a real difference. A poorly written or formatted CV can really let you down. A CV that is done well can be the door opener to interviews for the jobs you want. Read what one of my clients has to say about this difference:
After months of applying for hundreds of jobs, and not getting any results, interest or even one single job offer, I saw an advert for “The Career Clinic”. I thought, “let’s try and educate myself with some expert advice”. I met Janet for a 2 hour consultation. Within minutes I realised I had previously been wasting my time and energy. I had been going about everything the wrong way and the CV that had been done by a professional company wasn’t good enough.
Janet gave me great advice and a bit of homework. I changed my CV with the tools she gave me and took time to customise it to the specific job I was applying for. I sent out 3 different CVs to 3 different companies, and had responses from them all. Two days later, I landed a job offer with a global company and accepted.
I should have invested in getting professional guidance from the start. Thanks to Janet, I have landed my dream job in one of the most beautiful places on the planet.
Craig mac Donnell
Craig isn’t alone in applying for jobs and not getting anywhere. It can be very frustrating and have a big impact on your confidence, especially if you are new to New Zealand, as Craig is. He has a good set of skills and solid experience. But his CV was letting him down.
Do I write CVs for my clients?
It can be tempting to get someone else to write your CV, especially if you are finding that it’s difficult to do. I frequently get asked to write CVs. But this is nearly always the one thing I will never do for a client. My answer is nearly always ‘No’. And I have good reasons for doing this.
If I write a CV or Cover Letter for you, the words and phrases I use will be mine.
They will sound like I might say them, not how you might say them. Recruiters are not fooled. If you get to the interview stage, it very quickly becomes obvious that the way things have been stated in the application, is different to the way you actually talk, and the language you actually use. I think this possibly presents a credibility issue for a recruiter. And can lead to them wondering ‘Which is the ‘real’ you?’ ‘How much of what has been written down in the application is actually true of you?’ And possibly the bigger question, ‘Can I trust this person and what they have said?’
During the actual process of writing and rewriting your CV, you are thinking deeply about yourself and your skills.
You are connecting the dots in your thinking between what you have to offer and what a job requires. And you are actually practising telling your story and what you are going to say in an interview. The writing itself becomes an important part of your interview preparation. The more opportunities you have to do this, the better prepared you will be in an interview.
Cover letters and CVs need to be an honest reflection of the ‘authentic’ you.
Organisations are very interested in making sure the people they employ will fit into their culture and way of doing things. It is very hard for someone else to write about you in a way that does this well.
These are pretty compelling reasons why I almost never write a CV for a client. I do however give very clear advice and guidance on what you need to do to create a compelling CV and cover letters that will do the work they need to do for you. And I will help you work out what your skills are and what your unique and authentic story is in terms of who you are and what you have to offer.
It’s CV month at Career Clinic
If you are job searching or changing jobs, and you need help to shape up good cover letters and CVs, then book in some coaching sessions. I’ll help you work out the best strategy for you, and give you clear guidance on how to write and format Cover Letters, CVs and your LinkedIn Profile.
My goal is to give YOU the information, coaching and skills YOU need to be successful.