Most job applicants, in a hurry or otherwise, miss on important presentation tips for a good CV that renders them not getting even to the shortlist. If you really want the prospective recruiter to invite you for the interview, you must leave no stone untouched in making your application.
“I have come across job applicants who, instead of using their own address to apply for a job, they use their employer’s email address. Later when you make a follow up hoping to reach them, they complain that you are causing them trouble, contacting their employer,” Melody Mwendwa, Career Advisor at Corporate Staffing Services says.
According to Ms Mwendwa, it costs nothing to ensure you do a thorough work when presenting your CV but much worse when you ignore presentation tips when applying for a job- never getting shortlisted for the job you applied for.
Presentation Tips For A Good CV
Are you just about to press the send button to apply for the job? Wait. Ensure that before you make that final move of the application process, you adhere to the following priceless presentation tips.
1. Adhere to the format instructions
Most recruiters issue specific instructions concerning the acceptable format for the CV. If this is not part of the instructions, you can choose to send your CV as a word format or PDF.
“Some applicants make the mistake of sending their CV as a zipped folder. It is a difficult task for recruiters, who are faced with tens or hundreds of other CVs to view, to go through the whole process involved in opening a zipped folder just to view a single CV,” Diana Muchoki, Account Manager at Corporate Staffing Services says.
She adds that unless there are no other options among the other job applicants, she has no reason to go through the tasking process of opening CVs sent as zipped folders.
In addition to zipped folders, some job applicants also present CVs as links. Chances of them not being viewed are also high.
2. Label the CV
Give your CV a name. Ms Mwendwa advises that you label your CV with your name.
“You can have ‘James TheJobseeker- CV’ and so on. Just ensure that your CV is labeled so that the recipient finds it easy locating it among their other documents,” she says.
3. Use the right email address
Before you press the ‘send’ button, check to see that you are sending it from the email you would be comfortable applying jobs with.
Since a portion of job seekers apply to move to new jobs from their working premises, it is likely you might, make the mistake of using your employer’s email address when submitting an online application. Check to see that it is from your own personal email address that you are sending the application.
“When the recruiter makes follow up, it is you they should be in contact with and not your current employer. If you do not your own email address, you might never be connected to the prospective employer to know the progress of your application,” Ms Mwendwa advices.
4. If posting, do not fold it
If you are presenting a hard copy CV, put it in a full-size A4 envelope. Do not fold you’re your CV so that it gets to the recruiter creased and not presentable.
According to Ms Mwendwa, most hiring companies in Kenya have edged away from requesting your hard copy CV when applying for a job the first time. There are however others, such as government recruiters who will still give you a physical address so that you post your hard copy documents.
If this is the case, submit neat documents that will not piss off the recruiter just because they are creased or soiled. Always make new copies from old ones for fresh applications.
5. Do not forget to attach it!
Yes, out of anxiety, hurry or nervousness, you might click the ‘send’ button without adding your CV attachment. Ensure that you find your labeled CV among other documents from the computer and attach it to the mail before submitting your application.
If possible, make a list of the important presentation tips for a good CV so that none of those we have mentioned skips your memory when you are applying for a job. All the best in your job search.
