Knowing what to leave on or off a resume is sometimes difficult. CRS General Manager, Mariska Seereeram, offers sound advice to jobseekers and freelancers on what to put in their resume to bag that new job.
Showcase Competencies and Achievements
Jobseekers need to carefully review the job details of the role they are applying for and ensure that it is easy for the Hiring Manager to identify the key experience, skills and competencies required for the role. “When the Hiring Manager reviews a person’s CV, they are looking for specific things. Case in point, for an accounting position, they are looking for certain key words; bank reconciliation, financial statements and the accounting software. Your résumé represents you ,makes the first impression and determines whether you get the first interview or prescreening.”
Don’t resend the same CV
“If you are ready for the next career step, don’t re-send the same CVs as when you were an assistant or in a junior position. You must update your resume to show the new skills, qualifications and experience you have acquired, thus making you the right candidate for this new role.”
Mariska shares one simple adjustment she made to a client’s resume. She recalled a situation where the role the candidate wanted to apply for required supervisory experience. The candidate’s current role was junior and leading a team was not one of her core responsibilities. When coaching the candidate Mariska realized that the candidate did participate in a project to develop a new product line in the company over five months in which she did have a lead role. The was not part of her normal daily duties but a major achievement which the candidate did not consider highlighting in her resume.
Be concise. Showcase the best.
For our candidates applying for executive or even leadership positions, their resume must be tailored to show these competencies. Mariska shared her experience of helping a candidate apply for a COO position. Mariska recalls, “This candidate had all the qualifications and experience but her resume was 6 pages long and the format only showcased her legal background. I redesigned her resume to a C Suite format and highlighted her experience in strategic planning ,business and management while still including details her legal background.”
Hiring CRS Resume Writing Service
There is added value to our CRS Resume Writing Service. CRS is not just a recruitment provider, we work closely with candidates in improving their CVs via our Resume Writing service. Ms. Seereeram said, “We offer the service of looking at your CV from the Hiring Manager’s perspective and provide continuous support through including interview preparation.”
In our current work environment, CRS has adapted to using Zoom and Microsoft teams to conduct virtual sessions with our candidates. These sessions are used to get a proper understanding of the candidates and their prospective career opportunities. Mariska states “We go through line by line together. There is collaboration in how the CV is written. It is drafted, then re-drafted and recommendations are made. Then we go it over again with suggestions and do some further editing.” At CRS, it is a collaborative process with the candidate as we provide additional support.
Freelancers’ portfolios as marketing tools
Freelancers, are very certain of what they want and the type of projects they want to work on. On the other hand, as compared to other jobseekers who are looking for a permanent job in a different company. Mariska notes that, “With freelancers the structure of their CVs will be a little different. It will not be a regular CV. They can showcase their work via an online portfolio with links to current and past projects if possible.” This portfolio has to be designed as a marketing tool rather than just a CV. She adds, “This is where we can help freelancers really put their accomplishments, their projects down and format the portfolio properly.” This will also allow prospective companies and clients to verify their work as well as references.
CRS is not just a recruitment agency. We offer a unique, collaborative and supportive experience for our candidates and clients via our professional resume writing services as they venture into new career paths.
Need our help? Book a session with Mariska at mariska@crsrecruitment.co.tt
Author: Johanna Thomas