Five (5) Common Mistakes In The Writing And Usage Of CVs And Cover Letters
Writing
an effective CV and cover letter inclusive of other job search
correspondences, had never been easy to many job-seekers. Effective
writing is a skill which can be learned by any one. That you do not know how to
arrange your write-up tactfully is an indication that you have to go back to
the learning table. You are the best that the world is looking out for only if
you can starve your weakness and empower your strength through continuous
learning. Continuous practice makes for continuous discovery. Start learning
today.
Mistake 1: Preparing the same CV and cover letter for every
application.
Learn
to adapt your CV and cover letter for every job you are applying
for. This is because you have a total time of 10seconds to create an
impression. You have 5seconds for personal assessment and another 5seconds for
your employer to go through your CV and cover letter. So, your CV and cover
letter must stand out! As you are prepared to do diverse job in
your career, you should also be able to prepare diverse CVs and cover letters
for them.
How do I make my CV and cover letter standard?
-
Create a generic CV and cover letter – correct format and relevant
information for the type of job(s) you are applying for.
-
Tailor each CV and cover letter to the individual job.
How do I do this?
Highlight
the keywords by doing the following;
-
Read the job description careful.
-
Choose the most important skills, qualifications and experience relevant to the
job or the ones the employer value most.
-
Target your CV by;
·
Giving the employer the information he wants (but do not lie).
·
The most important information of your CV comes to the top where it is clearly
visible.
·
Remember, you have only 10seconds, so you have to get it right.
Mistake 2: Telling the employer how great you are.
Example:
An excellent communicator; A great team player.
You
have to prove it by giving an example of how, when and where you did something
like that.
Example:
Increased sales by 25% in 3months in Rapio Company by implementing 80/20
marketing strategy.
-
Use of numbers and strategies adopted in this aspect is very important as this
will cause the employer to sit up and give rapt attention to your CV.
-
Try as much as you can to discover the problem or leakage in the company and
make it your strength (if only you can address it).
Mistake 3: A cover letter that repeats the information in the
CV and the same for every job.
-
Your cover letter should not be more that a page (or
two in rare cases).
-
Your cover letter defines your most special skills and not a time of story
–telling.
Solution:
-
Say something that will make the employer sit up and take notice. Find
something that is really important to the company and capitalize on it.
-
Expand your CV-more detail on the key points.
-
Write a different cover letter at all points.
Mistake 4: Inserting a Picture in your Cover Letter or CV
Most
people feel great inserting their most beautiful passports in their CVs and
cover letters but unfortunately, employers are not looking at passports they
are looking at skills and competencies. Their question is “What value can you
offer?
Solution
-
Write a detail cover letter or CV stressing your specialized skills and
competencies.
-
Do not add pictures.
Mistake 5: Using “Curriculum Vitae or Cover Letter” as the
title of your CV or Cover Letter.
This
is another terrible mistake. The title of your CV is your name written in bold
capital letters. Your cover letter is the normal application letter for a
job.
Solution
-
Do not label your correspondence after the traditional name example curriculum
vitae, cover letter, thank you letter and so on.
-
Use your name as the title of your curriculum vitae and not on your cover
letter.
You may have also discovered some deadly mistakes on the
writing and usage of cover letters, feel free to share with us.
In writing curriculum vitae and job search
correspondence, care need to be taken so as to effectively and efficiently
prepare your way up to the job. Join us HERE for more Information on CV and Job search
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