HOW TO GET THE JOB YOU WANT

Are you ready to move into another role but unsure how to market your skills to potential employers? Here’s how to sell yourself.

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The good news is that nine out of 10 employers prefer to hire candidates who have some work experience rather than none at all. Therefore, any experience you have will be an advantage. The key is to present this experience favourably and effectively on your CV. Here’s how.

1. CUSTOMISE YOUR CV FOR POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS
Employers can tell when they’re receiving a generic CV as opposed to one that has been tailored to suit the role they’re advertising. This can be a time-consuming process, but it’s worth the effort. Do some research about the company – discover what values are important to them, and reflect these in your CV. Then, be sure to relate all of the skills you mention to the role you are applying for. For instance, if you’re interested in a client-facing position, ensure you highlight examples of interpersonal skills on your CV, such as customer-service situations you have handled successfully in the past.



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2. ADVERTISE YOUR HARD SKILLS
Hard skills are specific abilities that an individual gains through experience. These are skills that can be demonstrated clearly and measurably. You need to be honest on your CV about the hard skills you have, but you must advertise them. Don’t assume that the employer ‘already knows’ or ‘doesn’t care’ about these skills – this is where your work experience can play strongly in your favour.

Examples of hard skills you should advertise on your CV include computer skills (ability to work with Microsoft Office, proficiency with email, etc.) and organisational know-how (experience with point-of-sale systems, staff management or customer-service systems).

3. EMPHASISE YOUR SOFT SKILLS
For those with limited work experience, it is a good idea to emphasise your soft skills on your CV. These skills refer more to the kind of person you are: your character traits and values, and how you relate to others and manage your relationships. There are different kinds of soft skills, and it is simple to relate these to some aspect of the work experience you already have. Think back on the different scenarios you have faced in the workplace so far and try to find examples of soft skills such as good communication skills.

These are necessary (and desirable) for any job role. Similarly, problem-solving skills, the ability to collaborate and any other people skills should feature prominently on your CV. Be sure to specifically mention any leadership experience you have (even if this is mentoring other entry-level workers at your current job) and give clear examples where your customer-service skills have shone through.

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4. ENSURE THAT YOUR CV LOOKS PROFESSIONAL
Finally, be sure that your CV is professionally formatted and error-free. Companies tend to receive many applications, and a badly formatted CV full of spelling mistakes and grammatical errors could rule you out at the first hurdle. Online applications such as Grammarly can help you check your language before you send out your CV.

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