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Every recruitment process starts with the candidate being introduced to the client and a very crucial part of this process in the candidate CV.
 
Let me start by making it clear that I’m not going to present yet another definitive CV format as there are already lots of examples and help available.  I simply want to highlight some key points and concerns that continue to exist.

Why do we find it so difficult to write a great CV?

Despite the number of “Do It Yourself CV” books and other support available online why are there still so many poor CVs out there?  And the bad news is that the people who should be better placed to create a good CV are often producing the worst.  Now it may be that Managers, Senior Executives and Directors would say that they are too busy or maybe that they just don’t feel that they have time to prepare a great CV, as their track record and current position speaks for itself.

Well the truth is that a surprisingly large number of job candidates still fall at the first hurdle by neglecting their CV. Many are content to canvass a CV, which has not been updated for several years, is not tailored to the role they are applying for and in a format that is just too complex.

But most importantly the CV is littered with “soft generalities” and statistics that are not quantified in context, or in some cases, completely missing.

For example “I am a strong people person who achieved significant sales growths and controls a £300m turnover”.  How are you’re a strong people person?  What was the sales growth?  And was £300m up or down on the previous year and did it deliver a healthy bottom line contribution?

Or the cliché “I work well individually and as part of a team” has become almost as predictably present on the average CV as the education details that go back to junior school.  How did you “add value” individually and as part of a team?  Using abbreviations and jargon is as good as saying “I know something you may not”. Don’t try and be clever, use plain speaking English to explain what you do and what you’ve done.

The major difference between standard CVs and management/executive CVs is that in addition to defining your achievements the management/executive CV should outline how you drive performance on the measureable key business indicators and your capacity to lead an organisation by blending various ‘softer’ skills, how you relate to others and how you have affected change within an organisation.  The use of “soft generalities” is too ambiguous; your contribution in providing “added value” should be more obvious and quantified.

Either you improved company / team and individual performance or you didn’t!

At this senior level and stage in your career you should have lots of quantifiable examples of your achievements, and it’s achievements that should be at the top of your CV.  If your achievements are strong and relevant then an employer will be caught in the first paragraph and want to read your full CV.  You can them put your personal details clearly at the foot of the last page.  After all if you were advertising an Aston Martin you would show the picture and list all the features first, then the details of where you can buy it.  Remember your CV is your advert for you.

The competition for jobs remains tough.  Your CV has to set you apart from all the others and define the “Added Value” an employer will get by giving you the job.

"Good leadership is the single most important factor in the survival of an organisation and opportunities at the executive level are limited so it is crucial that you present yourself as a product that a company will want to acquire."