BBC Radio – How to get your CV noticed in 2024

Corinne joins

Listen here:

Or read the transcript here:

Presenter:

“It’s back to work in January. How have you been feeling about it? Maybe a bit of those back to work Blues? Is 2024 is going to be your year for changing jobs? I’ve got some tips and tricks and how to navigate the job market. I’m joined by Corinne Mills, Managing Director of a Personal Career Management and author of “You’re hired! Standout CVs”.

One of the things I was thinking is; the job market; it seems to be changing year by year. Whether it’s one of those where it’s for the employers or it’s one of those for the job seeker. How’s it looking at the moment in 2024?”

Corinne:

“2024 looking ahead. What’s the job market looking like? I think it’s good, but it’s a little bit tighter. So, candidates have had it rather good over the last couple of years because there’s been really a lot of skills shortages. So employers have been desperate to get hold of people. Now it is tightening up a little bit for candidates, there is lots of change ahead. Now change brings risk, if you’re in a certain job but it also brings opportunities. I do think 2024 is going to be a real year of change. So if you’re looking you’re looking for something else, this may well be your year!

Presenter:

“I remember a few years ago that the job market shifted around with the pandemic. Do you think we’ve shaken that off now?”

Corinne:

“Yeah. Gosh, that was a grim time wasn’t it! I think there’s a couple of things that are shaking up now.

I think one this is that there is an election coming up. We don’t know what is going to be what in terms of the outcome of it, but people are thinking there’s going to be some differences. That means that businesses are also making changes, they’re planning for the year ahead. So that also impacts on what they’re doing in their organisations as well.

The other really big change, and it’s kind of good and bad, is technology! I’m sure everyone has heard about AI and you know there are good sides and downsides but it really is shaking up things. I think it offers some great opportunities for individuals, there are new fields that are opening up, some new tools that you can use as a candidate, but also you’ve got to be wary of some of the risks because certain jobs will be changing, disappearing, and new one’s appearing in line with the new technologies.”

Presenter:

“Totally! So you look at the CV and the cover letter. I changed jobs about six or seven months ago coming over to BBC Guernsey. I was thinking, the CV and cover letter has been used for decades and decades. Are they still as important as they were?”

Corinne:

“Yeah, look they are just vehicle for your marketing. You might need them in different formats. So, your LinkedIn profile is now your online CV. Sometimes you’ll apply for roles and they will want you to do an online application. It will be like a CV that you’re that you’re doing. The important thing is you have to be able to describe yourself as a professional, in terms of what you do at work, in a really clear, succinct, compelling way, that’s relevant for the roles that you’re going for. The fundamental principles of marketing yourself still apply. It’s just whether it’s a CV in this format or it’s a LinkedIn profile, or a different format.”

Presenter:

“I was thinking about the format, I think I’m guilty of when I was putting mine together of clicking the first template or format I found. But is there a is there a difference for like different sectors in a format that you should use or is it just different for each person when they’re going for jobs.”

Corinne:

“It’s a really good question. The clearest answer I can give you is. Choose the plainest format you can. There’s lots of really wizzy formats and they have lovely colouring, graphics and bar charts. They look great. The problem is ‘technology’. The technology has helped you create these but if you’re using that kind of wizzy CV to upload to a job website the chances are the recruitment software can’t read it very well. So actually, chunks of your CV could be missing! So be really careful, aesthetically it may look really beautiful but actually it’s got to be very functional. What happens with the recruitment software, is that it needs to grab all the text in your CV and then store it on a database, where it can then be searched. A recruiter might be looking for certain skills, if you’ve hidden that behind a fancy font or a graphic, or it’s your address is not what they expected to be, because recruitment software always expects your address and name to be right at the top then your information is not going to be a searchable and that means it might look beautiful but you’re never going to be found.”

Presenter:

“What’s the best way of being able to stand out for a for a senior position of management, how can you make yourself stand out a little bit?”

Corinne:

“Really look at what the recruiter or employer wants. Literally go through the job advert, or go through the person specification. They’ll tell you what they want! Take a highlighter and make a list of those keywords. And then what you’ve got to do is you’ve got to build your CV around that. You put your name and address at the top, and then you’ve got a section which is usually a profile where you do a little bit of description about you. Often candidates will put some guff about ‘You can work independently or as a member of a team. I’m hard working’ so there’s nothing that really distinguishes you. They expected you to be hard-working. What they want to hear is that they are specifically looking for somebody who’s got this kind of background, who’s got this kind of skill. Tell them you’ve got that right in that first part of the profile and give them some evidence, right, you can’t just make it up you have to prove it.

So you’re just making it very, very easy for people who literally have a bit of a tick box and are looking do they have this. Have they met this? Tick, tick, tick. They can see in that first half page see that you’re a great candidate for them. That is the way to stand out. That’s what you got to do.

Presenter:  

“Is going around with paper CV a thing anymore?”

Corinne:

“Well, I think it might make a comeback. It’s fantastic to be able to apply for a role with just a click of your mouse, but it means you have to go through so many layers and very often this really great candidate just won’t even get seen, so you know you can you miss out on opportunities. The thing about going and using your personal contacts, being outside offices will draw attention to yourself. I think there is something about showing your gumption, your get-up-and-go, you really want to work some where and people will be impressed by that. That you’ve made the effort.”

Presenter:

“Thanks for sharing your are your tips and tricks with us as well today Corinne”

Click to go to BBC Sounds. Starts at 2:16:16

Buy your own copy of Corinne’s latest book ‘You’re Hired! Standout CVs’

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