The importance of a good CV can never be underestimated. This is one of the fundamentals you will be taught during project management training. It is important to make sure that your CV stands out for all of the right reasons. The last thing you want is for it to be an example of what not to put on your CV. Equally, you don’t want to be filed away and never looked at again. So, how do you make sure that this is the case? Read on for some top tips.
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The first thing you need to do is make sure your CV is visually appealing. This does not mean that it needs to feature every colour of the rainbow or that you should include fancy borders and graphics. However, it does mean that your CV needs to be easy on the eyes and visually clean. Make sure you use a consistent font throughout and stick to black text. Moreover, group together information logically. There are plenty of job templates online to help you with this. Also, don’t forget the importance of spelling and grammar. Use spell check and get several people to read over your CV. All of this may sound trivial on the surface, but you would be surprised by how much of a difference it makes. If someone looks at your CV and it is littered with spelling errors or presented in a cluttered manner, they will instantly be put off.
The next thing you need to do is ensure your CV is customised for each specific project or job. Yes, this may be a bit of extra work, but it is worth it if it means you get the call for an interview. After all, project managers are required across all industries today, from construction to nursing. A project management nursing resume is naturally going to be different from one whereby you are going to be handling construction projects, so you really need to put in that extra effort. Do not only tailor it to the industry but the specific position and company. If an employer sees that you have put in the time and effort to tailor your CV to suit the position they have available, it demonstrates how much you want the job, and this is certainly something that is going to impress.
Of course, you need to be an effective leader if you are going to be a good project manager. So, you need to ensure you spend a good amount of time putting together a list of the leadership traits you possess. This is much more important than getting bogged down with too much of the technical. Demonstrate how you work well with stakeholders and teams, and how you can monitor, lead and guide employees. You need to highlight your experience with communication, facilitation and leadership.
Last but not least, make sure you brand who you are and play to your own strengths. There are too many people that put together a CV that is based on the project manager they think the company wants to hear, instead of showcasing who they really are. Everyone has different experiences, and you need to play to your own strengths, instead of trying to be someone else. Of course, there is nothing wrong with referring to other CVs for inspiration, but don’t base your own CV on this. Let the employer know the type of person they are going to be getting if they hire you.
By Robert Thompson, International Writer
