I am beginning to wonder whether my CV will ever do me justice. I am currently pulling together all the info I need for my CV and much as I have enjoyed reflecting on achievements and what I like doing I can't help thinking two A4 sides of text is not the right format to sell myself.
Reason I think this is that over the last few days I have had some really interesting conversations with people about some areas I would like to work in.
And when I talk about these things I feel very passionate about what I can offer and excited about the possibilities of new roles. And then I think about how I can capture that passion and enthusiasm in my CV. At that point the needle comes off the record.
Why? Because I know that my CV cannot reflect that passion and enthusiasm. It is also very hard for a text document to provide any sense of what you might actually be like - how many people write the line . . . 'I am passionate about . . .'? (there is a reason why they don't - it would get ignored) Let's face it, the CV is not the document for showing you as a three dimensional person.
It amazes me that a format which is so restrictive remains the currency of job search. That said, I am taking a new competency-based approach to my CV, which seems far more powerful than the chronological style I had previously been using (for years).
For the reasons I above, I know I have to have more than one approach to my job search. So, I will also be (and have been) . . .
Networking - because you get a chance to get excited about new roles and to show who you really are. Conversations are more rewarding than passing around a CV - well that seems to be the case for me so far
Creating alternative CV formats - I think I will try other types of content to convey more about me. I can see why people would create a video CV - it gives a more of a sense of who you are (have thought about this and I will probably not be sat in front of a camera trying to be funny!). Audio could also be interesting.
I don't feel glass half full on this - it just strikes me that CVs, by their very format and design, are self-limiting.
If I were to create a web page selling me and my services (which is part of the plan) - I would be able to create a far richer content experience (unlike Linkedin which puts the paper CV format at the heart of its design), identifying aims of the page, content hierarchy and how the design of the page can help sell it, etc. Think I have just set myself a challenge . . .
See also . . .
- Other posts in my job search series