As a recruiter, I would like to hear this more often! So, what are the chief characteristics of a CV that make an employer excited enough to want to interview?
Top ten reasons why employers interview!
- 1. REASON: The candidate has the qualifications and experience that the employer asked for in the Advert.
WHAT THE CANDIDATE DID : they knew themselves well enough to know what they were qualified and experienced to do – and applied for positions where they were a good fit. They knew that if they were appointed in a job where they were NOT a good fit both they and the employer were likely to be unhappy.
PERSONALLY: nothing makes me angrier than a new graduate who thinks he or she can be promoted – sometimes to head of a school – now, this year, with nothing but a B Ed. No experience in the classroom – why on earth would you need that? Their application is an insult to every teacher who has laboured for years to guide their students towards success. To every teacher who has learned (the hard way) how to discipline a class and how to (fairly) mark learner’s work. - REASON: The CV has
- The candidate’s full name and SA ID and any necessary registrations
- Their personal contacts – phone, email, residential address
REMEDY: Reasonably obvious!
PERSONALLY: Who would omit their name and contact details on their own CV? Don’t answer that, O hungry relatives! - REASON: Full dates and details of Education are given.
WHAT THE CANDIDATE DID: the candidate gave a year by year account of their education, starting with matric, all the distinctions, offices they held, prizes they won, teams they participated in, part time jobs they had while they were studying, and impressed the employer with their academic achievements and their leadership potential.
PERSONALLY: dates are vital, and so are achievements. - REASON: The name of the qualification, majors and distinctions are stated. In a B Ed, the phase of education as well as the major/teaching subjects need to be clearly stated, no matter how much prior teaching experience you have!
WHAT THE CANDIDATE DID: the blew their own trumpet! Employers want top candidates – with distinctions. If you say nothing employers will assume you don’t have anything to blow that trumpet about!
PERSONALLY: B Ed with no distinctions is boring. But that’s just me. - REASON: A Clearly set out work record (it should be either “first job to last job” or the other way around.) on the CV. When the work record bounces around employers say,
“What the heck? Give me the next CV!”
WHAT THE CANDIDATE DID: set out the work record clearly and chronologically through your career. And if you did something for three years and realised you hated it – you are entitled to say so!
PERSONALLY: I find it hard to believe when people cant remember what they did in a particular year. I wonder what else they will forget … - REASON: Clear no-gaps work record
WHAT THE CANDIDATE DID: Explain! “I cared for my frail mother until she died” or “I coached my special needs son from home” or “my sister got married in Fiji and I went to help for a year”! are all acceptable reasons for taking some time off – but if there is an unexplained gap expect employers to assume the worst.
PERSONALLY: All three of these reasons have appeared in CVs on my desk in the past year – and I found jobs for all of them. But if you leave the explanation off – well, employers will not be confident enough to interview. - REASON: Long tenure in jobs in the past five years (2+ years – or longer if you are applying for something senior)
WHAT THE CANDIDATE DID: Give reasons why you left for any short-term appointments, as well as for your most recent job. You might have to use some guarded language so that we can phone and explore this with you. “Harassed at school” has a multitude or meanings, and (sadly) is true more often than we would like to admit. But if you left in less than six months three times consecutively and can’t give us any genuine reasons or back-up references we are very unlikely to be able to assist.
PERSONALLY: I have heard too many senior educationists in crisis because someone on the staff has given short notice. If you have a habit of walking out of your job without a good reason, good luck finding another one. - REASON: Complete dates of employment (month and year) stated for all jobs
WHAT THE CANDIDATE DID: they gave full dates of employment for every job they have had. Month and year. Yes, I do mean since Noah came out of the Ark. Can’t remember? Really?
PERSONALLY: If someone says “2022” I assume that is January to December. But if the last employer tells me it is not, I don’t believe anything else on the CV. - REASON: Referees are given on the CV, they are past employers, and they can be contacted on a land-line at work (so the employer knows who he has phoned and where they work)
WHAT THE CANDIDATE DID: good candidates only send their CV to a credible recruitment site, so it’s safe to disclose referees on the CV, assuming they have nothing to hide.
PERSONALLY: “Referees available on request” leaves me wondering what the person has to hide. Not interested. We have a very big bin. - REASON: CV stated contactable referees who are employers from 2020 or later who are prepared to talk on their at-work phone numbers and/or email
WHAT THE CANDIDATE DID: Made sure that they gave at least two referees who are recent past employers. It’s polite to check with referees in advance what they would say about you!
PERSONALLY: if a CV comes without appropriate referees, and I can not think why this person would have withheld referees, I will chuck it away. I don’t have time to dig through a web of mistrust to find out what really went down. Should I? According to the POPPI act – no.
When this article was written, on Wednesday this week, Placements in Education had five interviews going on, or immediately pending, around South Africa. And another two overseas. If you are prepared to take time over your CV, no matter where you want to work, we would be delighted to help you.