I know that this is broad question, but I am updating my CV after completing a contract. I am heading back to the UK where I believe there is a recession, so I want to make sure that my CV packs maximum punch.
While updating my CV, I realised that there's a lot of stuff in there that any PM would do i.e. nothing stands out as such. It struck me that CV's of PM's might be quite repetitive (just my opinion)
So my question to all seasoned PM's and recruiters on here is, what have you seen / read in a CV that makes it stand out?
Just some background info on myself... Originally a developer, I have about 2.5 years in project management, so am a junior to mid level PM (just my opinion!). My last project was completed on budget and deadline but I walked into quite a mess and really only played a role as associate PM, prior to which I worked as a business change project manager and an IT project manager.
Thanks in advance
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Anonymous
I was recently laid off and have been able to get a job fairly quickly in this economy. I drew from my past experience working at a major internet job site when I updated my resume. Here is what I did. You have about 20 seconds to capture a recruiter's attention when your resume pops up. I put a keyword list just under my contact information that contained my major skills. Each skill was simply separated by an asterisk. I looked like this: PMP*Project Manager*Virtual teams* etc. Then, in the area where I describe my job and accomplishments, I quantified as much as I could, for example, "Lead teams of 5-10". Numbers capture attention. Now, you post it to a website, you need to understand that those websites receive thousands of CVs a day and they are stacked. So, the trick is to keep your resume on top of the list. I'll let you figure out how. I don't want to get in trouble with the internet job site owners. It worked for me! Good Luck! Saving Changes...
Thanks for the tip! Surely the list of skills does'nt read very well or look very pleasant for the person reading it? Or are you hinting that its the string that elevates your rankings?
Lastly, I have made sure that my CV is littered with keywords, so I thought they'd be picked up anyway. Any test for me to play with to see which combo is better? Saving Changes...
Anonymous
Littering your CV with keywords might get your CV to pop up in a search, but then you have to get someone to read it. Remember you have 20 seconds to capture the readers attention. They may have gotten 100+ resumes in their search. You just need a creative way of getting the reader to keep reading. Paragraphs are hard to read. The list actually reads very well, even if it isn't pretty. If they are reading online, chances are they aren't seeing all the formatting anyway. I will be the first to admit that my resume was not the most beautiful, but it worked for me.
If you want to test it, create two resumes and post them to a site like Monster.com. Activate one and watch the hits and track how many contacts you get for a few days. Then take that resume down and activate the other and track. Maybe it won't work for you. It is a lot of trial and error to see what works best. Saving Changes...
Michael WellesManaging Director| EdWel Project and Risk Management TrainingChicago, Il, United States
Great advice! In my opinion, you want your CV to be the guide for any interview as well. Emphasize those elements that are most compelling in a face-to-face interview. Just a thought.
Post your CV on websites every week by deleting and then uploading again, your CV goes back on top of the list visible to recruiters, it is similar to 'Refresh'. There are no guarantees as the market is such that far too many CV's are being submitted. What I also found out, is that recruiters tend to contact potential candidates before they post the job on the website by then the job is filled a little too late, this is the reason recruiters do not reply but have your details just in case you may be the next candidate for another job.
