Still, it’s a free service and if you get an unwanted sales call you simply need to recognise it for what it is.  Just remember that these are probably entrepreneurs, using CV writing as a vehicle for making money.  They will be employing professional sales people, so make sure you resist.  Remember that if the organisation is not responding appropriately to your request for a CV Assessment, it’s unlikely that they will be providing a high quality CV writing service either.  I always provide free CV assessments via e-mail, leaving it up to you whether you want to make telephone contact or not. 

If you are thinking of having a CV professionally written I would strongly recommend that you apply for a free assessment of your old CV first.  As you know, there are many options for CV writing on the internet and this is a very effective way of getting an insight into the level of service a particular firm will be providing.  It’s easy to see that if they provide a genuine, helpful assessment then you know you can trust them - otherwise my advice is to steer clear!

The CV Consultancy is happy to provide free assessments, obviously the time I can spend on free work is limited, but I will do my best and give you some helpful tips on what can be done to improve your CV.  Naturally I hope that you will be impressed with the quality of my advice and the insight and knowledge that I demonstrate.  Hopefully so much so that you will decide to take advantage of my professional CV writing service.  But this is entirely up to you, there is certainly no obligation, and I promise strictly no sales calls.

Why not visit this page for more information about our free cv assessment service.

Gwyneth

I should be used to it by now, but still it never ceases to surprise me that people don’t understand how important a good CV is in giving them a chance of success in today’s competitive jobs market. The information given in your CV it is all a prospective employer can possibly can know of you in the first instance. It is the first point of contact with a prospective employer or recruiter. They don’t know you, or what you have to offer – and if your CV doesn’t tell them in a way that they can understand, they will never find out.

Even though you may be the ideal candidate for a job, if you submit a CV which doesn’t deliver the right message, then you are squandering an opportunity and wasting your time applying for the job in the first place. Your CV needs to be ‘pitched’ at the right level, so that it not only tells the prospective employers what you have to offer, but does so in such a way that you can be sure that they will get the message. This means delivering a CV which is clear, concise and to the point and is easy to read and understand.

The most common mistake in CV writing is to include too much detail. Most CV’s are so packed with information that reading and understanding them becomes a mammoth task. Unfortunately employers simply don’t have the time to spare to wade through detailed information. To put it in perspective, you should remember that on average an employer will only allocate about 30 seconds to an initial appraisal of each application, and typically 200 responses are being received for each advertisement placed.

‘You never get a second chance to make a first impression’ – never a truer word was spoken. If you submit a CV consisting of pages packed with long paragraphs of prose, the employer will be put off straight away and will quite possibly not read it at all. Otherwise they will only take the time to read some of it, which means it is left entirely to chance which bits get their attention. People are afraid of leaving things out of their CVs. However, by including too much detail they lose control of the situation. If you can bring yourself to go through your CV and prioritise the information, pruning it down to only that which is relevant, and taking out anything which is repetitive, then your CV will be read and you will get your message across. That is the only way that you can be sure what information your CV actually delivers.

You’ll already be way ahead of the competition if your CV is clear and concise, and delivered in an easy to understand format. As long as you make sure you’ve applied for the right job, one for which you are qualified, and which you honestly believe you would enjoy, you will have every chance of getting an interview and going on to enjoy success in today’s jobs market.

I can’t over-emphasise the importance of a good CV so if you don’t feel confident about writing it yourself then use a good professional CV Writing service, or invest in a first class CV template to give you the guidance you need.

Gwyneth

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You may be satisfied that your CV says what you want it to say, but you have to view it from a different angle. Remember that the information in your CV is all that the person reading your CV will know about you. Try to put yourself in their shoes and deliver the information in a format which can be easily understood by a stranger who doesn’t know you.

Remember that typically 200 responses are being received for each advertisement placed. Inevitably employers will not have time to do more than skim through the applications so they can allow no more than 30 seconds for each one. Unless your CV delivers information in a style which has immediate impact, you will almost certainly fail to get the message across.

So how can you achieve the user-friendly CV? Well for a start, consider the following:
Your sentences need to be very short with each one including no more than one point and all the words need to be very simple as well, with a maximum of no more than three syllables so that they can be easily understood. Paragraphs of prose need to be divided up into shorter paragraphs so that the information is delivered in small ‘bites’ and the prospective employer does not have to concentrate so hard to understand what you are trying to say.
Then compare it with this:
Sentences need to be short. Each should include only one point. Words need to be simple with a maximum of three syllables.

Prose should be divided into short paragraphs. Information delivered in small ‘bites’ will be more easily understood.

Bullet points deliver even more impact. Here are my rules for achieving maximum impact in a CV

• sentences should be short
• each sentence should include only one point
• words need to be short with a maximum three syllables
• prose should be divided into short paragraphs

When you have finished writing the CV go through it in detail. Strike out any unnecessary words or repetitions. Don’t include too many adjectives. Make every word count. This will help you to present your CV in a way which will make sure that the prospective employer reads and understands it.

Another point to remember is that you need to avoid including anything in your CV which the employer may not be able to understand. This includes jargon and acronyms. Remember, as soon as the reader has to pause to work out what you mean, you will have lost their attention.

Those who have hundreds of CVs to work through have a hard enough job already. Use short simple words and paragraphs. Make your CV user-friendly and you will stand a much better chance of success.