Bring out the best in your CV both paper-based and video

Ok, so the Be My Boss crew has reversed the recruitment process on your behalf, great! And yes we've tried to make it easier to find employment, however that is not cue for you to simply list the things you do and expect that will be enough. At the end of the day there will be plenty of people also posting their best attributes, skills and qualifications so if you want to stand out, you will need to back up your profile with a Knock-Out CV – then if you want to truly Stand-Out, be one of the first to submit a video profile.

Here's how... (And if you still stuck, you can have one customised for a fee through our site by submitting an enquiry via our contacts page, you will need to send your name, contact number, e-mail address, current CV if you have one, the type of job you want or the actual job description you want and we will quote you based on the complexity and amount of work you have already done).

So what is your dream job or what are you willing to do for a living!

With our site you have 2 options;

OPTION 1: "I am not certain what I want but I'd like to put myself out there to see what could be made available to me"

If this is you then you may not want to post your CV as a CV needs to be tailored to the company or job role you are after, so if you are looking for the "fate" approach then perhaps simply give your potential boss a 'taste' of what you have to offer by only filling in your details as prompted thought the "create a profile" section then wait to customise your CV to the job offer when it is presented to you.

With this option, we still highly recommend posting a video presentation which will show who you are and highlight what you have to offer.

Saying that, if you are after the 'fate' approach, say for example if you want more money, it may still be a good idea to post your CV as you will need to give your dream boss a reason to want to contact you. If so, take on the following advice...

OPTION 2: "I know EXACTLY what I want / who I want to work for"

They say that 1-2 out of every 3 CV's recites the words "I am looking for a challenging opportunity to utilise my skills with a progressive employer who will provide opportunities for growth?". The market has turned people, if you want to stand out from the hundreds of other CV's out there, I'm afraid you are going to have to:

Do your RESEARCH (see the articles Engaging your potential employer – Responding to job offers on the BMB site and Make Sure you do your Research!)
CUSTOMISE!

And the only way you can effectively customise is to do your Research; one is nothing without the other!! Especially when you are looking at substantially different opportunities.

And what is it that sets you apart from all the other applicants?

Unless you're a Jet Propulsion Engineer you can bet that there will be at least 10 other applicants who will be offering nearly the same skills, experience or qualifications as yourself, this number increases the more popular the job role with some reaching nearly as high as 100 in this economic climate.

So, what makes you different from the 50 odd other applicants?

Start by bullet pointing your best attributes, experiences and highest qualifications which would impress someone considering you for the role you most desire. This will keep you on track when designing the content of your CV.

How to structure your CV

Start with the background and experience most important for the position you want.

For example; if you have a career to be proud of then begin with an accomplishment summary followed by a list of the positions you have fulfilled, their full titles, responsibilities and associated company. If you do not want to put the company name, you could always write a very brief descriptor such as 'A Leading Automotive Company', or 'A Boutique Clothing Designer'.

If you are just starting out in your career, say as a graduate then you will want to lead with the highest qualification/s you've achieved. If you are looking to be an apprentice / trainee then you may want to begin with a brief on your best attributes, skills and experiences which are relevant to the trade or position you want.

The key is to make it easy for the resume reviewer to see that you are qualified or suited to the position they want to fulfil.
Make it stand out.

We know we have made it easier for employers to come and find you, however, don't think you will be the only person they intend approaching for the role. They will not be putting all their eggs in one basket, so to speak.

As research shows, out of all of the resumes sent in only a few stand out. If you want to be one of those few then make sure you take on board the points below.

If you are applying for a specific role then you MUST put together a well-written resume cover letter which should lead your resume. This cover letter should introduce yourself and give the reader a taste of who you are with a conversational summary of why you feel you should be considered for the role.

Structuring your resume – The Big Do's and Don'ts of Resume Writing:

In one quick glance your resume will either impress or depress the employer.

For a winner CV, follow these steps;

LAYOUT:

A clear, easy-to-read font - 12 point Arial is the most common professional style,
Lots of open space - there's nothing more daunting than looking at hundreds of words stuffed onto a page – ask yourself if you feel like reading through it to gauge whether there is too much,
Easy-to-find / skim information to entice the employer to read on,

PRESENTATION

If you're printing then it needs to be on freshly printed, high quality paper, and
DO NOT use your current company's envelopes, this screams deviousness!

List your contact details and BE REACHABLE!

Nowadays with all the different forms of technology, there is just no excuse not to be contactable. You should borrow or buy a mobile phone just for the job search otherwise if you get caught in playing telephone tennis (phone tag) too long, you may miss out on the interview altogether! There are only so many times a potential boss will keep calling you at home and you're not there.
Write and customise an "objective" for each job and employer.

This is your opportunity to connect all your skills, experience, traits, and job requirements with the ones your potential boss is seeking. Make sure you read our section titled Make sure you do your research!!, this will help you pick out exactly what the employer believes he needs. If you have been sent a job description, this will tell you EXACTLY what the employer is looking for.

A Leading Recruiter Stated Publicly:

"Don't settle for a lame, 'I seek a challenging opportunity to utilise my skills with a progressive employer who will provide opportunities for growth.'
She said that in response to an ad for a marketing specialist, she received this customised objective:
"I am seeking a position as a marketing specialist in a growing, environmentally conscious company that will utilise my current skills in the development of advertising and other marketing materials and website design and writing. At the same time, I hope to gain experience in market research, Internet competitive analysis, and market segmentation." "Who do you think I called?"
Write an Education statement

List all your relevant qualifications – majors, minors, degrees, certificates and their dates of attendance, or year of certificate if you have many. You could split them up into formal qualifications and training programs so that you can also list those skills you learnt on-the-job.
List your awards, accolades and other recognitions

This shows some of your personal achievements and a great way to demonstrate your personality traits. This is also different and interesting so is more likely to catch the eye (please don't include this title if you do not have any!). Some of the different types you may want to consider are; Class President, Secretary of the Debate Club, Scholarship Winner, and College Economics prize winner.
Write a personalised section highlighting your accomplishments

This is your 'brag' area – use this section to write down anything which may raise the value of you as a potential employee in the employer's eyes.

A leading recruiter states "In this section, catching my eye recently are: volunteerism; involvement with philanthropic causes; publications; team and individual sports participation; leadership positions in school or community organisations (especially in resumes without an "Awards and Recognition" section) or even", 'I self-funded my college education by working part-time during all four years of school."
In the employer section clearly write the company name, your position, and the dates of your employment
- WRITE THE COMPANY NAME WITH A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE COMPANY: Start each section underneath the titles with a brief overview statement about what the company does; its sales, products, and customers, for example Drake Training is an International Training company which provides IT and Business Management Training, Educational Solutions and Consultation into businesses. This gives the reader an insight into your experience.
- WRITE YOUR POSITION TITLE WITH A DESCRIPTION: Then write exactly what you did for the company in a brief statement.
- WRITE THE DATE: Include a date range next to each section, this will show the reader at a glance the length of time you've worked there. Your dates should flow so that they can get an accurate snap-shot of your career history.
For each employer, write a list of "key contributions" or "key achievements".

Don't just write, "I sold to customers on a national basis or I provided customer service." You need to make these statements into measurable achievements and successes such as: "I increased new spenders to the business by 20% or by 20 new customers over a 1 year period." or "I reduced accounts collectible by 80 percent." or "My marketing campaign for the new product won two industry awards for effectiveness." For even more information look at the "tips" box's which you will pop up when you complete your profile.
CHECK YOUR GRAMMAR AND SPELLING!!

This is very important!!! Get someone to check it and then get someone else to check it again. Some employers will not even look any further if they see even one mistake. Your personality traits will come in to question through every mistake found, you do not want to lessen your chances with mere carelessness,

Why do a video presentation?

A video presentation is a short video created by a candidate for employment that describes the individual's skills and qualifications and is typically used to supplement a traditional resume.

But can it help?

It can't guarantee you the job, however, if you're someone who feels that they come across so much better in person than on paper or someone who would like to give the reader of your CV a 'taste of who you are' then a video presentation is perfect for you!

A video presentation is also an excellent way to screen candidates who will have to travel great distances for the interview, perhaps they're overseas or interstate.

Make sure you do a presentation which shows your best attributes GEARED TOWARDS THE JOB YOU'RE AFTER. Don't be like one student who decided to send in a video showing him lifting weights, serving tennis balls, and ballroom dancing.

Before you start working on your video resume, review our Scripts and Video Samples, take a look at other resume videos and learn from them, considering both what works, and what doesn't. If you are looking for one more aligned to you then jump onto the internet and look around, there are more and more popping up every minute like at About.com's who has a Guide to Desktop Video shooting video for the web or directions on how to get started on YouTube.

Be one of the first to post your very own Video Resume as part of your profile!

It is becoming increasingly popular for people to send in a video presentation of themselves. The buzz is growing and video resumes are the next "cool" thing to do. In fact, the conversation has already moved from whether to make a video resume to how to make a professional video resume to enhance job applications. So, employers will be seeing video resumes - whether they want them or not.

How to make a presentation that rocks!

Start by bullet pointing a list of your career highlights / achievements in align with the type of job or company you want based on the research you've already done (see the section called Make sure you do your research!!).

You can use the scripts we've created as a guide

The beauty of a video presentation is that if you aren't happy with the first take you can try and try again. Get someone you trust to review your video before you go live. Just like a CV, your presentation could also turn someone off so make sure you make it count...

Follow these simple tips and you can't go wrong:

Start by mentioning your name first and again at the end,
Start by talking about your career highlights, qualifications or why you should be selected for the role you are after (see our scripts section for even more direction on creating an exceptional presentation),
Practice this ahead of time (get familiar with what you want to say as it's harder in front of the camera),
Don't giggle or laugh (I know it sounds obvious but it has been done!),
Focus on your professional accomplishments not personal ones, it's good to pay mention but make it minimal,
Keep your personal mention to what you can do for the company,
Dress as you would for an interview (look at our section on Make sure you do your research!! And Your Interview – what to expect),
Try fit your presentation into 1 – 3 minutes if you also have your CV posted. Your presentation should back up your resume, you can go for a bit longer if you don't have a CV but don't ramble on, stick to your bullet points in a brief, punchy manner,
Don't speak too fast,
Look at the camera, not at the floor, desk or other objects in front or below you,
If you are applying for a role where presentation skills are required (management, team leader, sales, marketing etc) then use this as an opportunity to show your skills in captivating an audience,
Make sure there isn't background noise or too much going on behind you, a nice plain, neutral coloured wall would be perfect, you only want the viewer looking at you,
Finish off by thanking the viewer for considering you for the role.

Stand out from the crowd, create one on BeMyBoss and increase your chances of getting a job proposal.

Some Final Suggestions:

Don't expect your video resume to replace your traditional resume.
Remember, not all employers will be interested in video profiles only and others may not have the technology to view it.
However, the more options you make available to potential bosses the more likelihood that they will get the full picture of who you are and what you have to offer!