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A bit of history, CVs or resumes were just a mere formality during the 1930s…back then you probably could have written something brief on the back of a Cadbury’s wrapper and that would have passed off as your vocational press release. It took a further 20 years for CVs to become an official component in the world of employment. In total, the CV in paper form had a lifespan of around 60 years until the World Wide Web was released to the public and email became the new-fangled way to send your chocolate free CV. Since the launch of the World Wide Web we have seen many career websites launch, LinkedIn, Facebook…etcetera! So here is a question, are CVs old hat and should we be embracing the alternatives which are readily available?
Old hat? Not if they are done correctly! A good CV requires a certain methodology, structure and of course the patience to sit down and actually put one together. It can be a laborious process which often tempts you to pause the professionalism and start searching for cat videos on YouTube to escape the seriousness of finding a job! A world-class CV on the other hand requires assistance from a dedicated private service CV specialist who knows the ins and outs of the job sector in which you are trying to progress in – this would almost certainly increase the odds of you landing an interview.
The problem with CVs is that they are all different, different people will have different ways they wish to organise one. A candidate profile created on an industry specific job site on the other hand will give the candidate the chance to create a profile in which to showcase his or her education, skills and experience in a uniformed fashion…this creates fluidity for recruiters, and it also helps achieve much quicker and concise results if the most important job criteria areas are easily recognisable and accessible, without having to trawl through a poorly presented CV and try to figure out if the applicant has the skills necessary for the vacancy. The downside to profiles is that you cannot take them with you or use them to apply for jobs other than with the career site the profile is created on as profiles are considered private unless agencies or employers pay to access them. However, if you are working in a non-generic industry; such as private household staffing – these high-targeted jobs boards are a fantastic way in which to find jobs within a private residence, luxury villa or on board a superyacht in one place rather than spend hours going through website after website, preparing emails, attaching CVs etc.
So how about a mixture of the aforementioned CV and candidate profile….what about a professional website? In the private staffing industry I have spoken to a few individuals such as butlers, private maternity nurses, estate managers who have had websites created to literally brand themselves, a simple one page-website which includes a high-quality picture, brief introduction, qualifications and experience finally followed by a contact form which allows employers to get in touch with them directly. The problem with this is, it takes time…and money. If you are tech savvy then great! You can build yourself a decent website for as little as £100 which includes your hosting without too much trouble. Your website could then be linked with your candidate profile which you created on a job site which should help improve your google ranking and allow employers and agencies to find you themselves. A draw back here would be that some recruiters may frown up on candidates having a professional website to present to the client! Clients can be crafty and it is known in certain circles that those of affluence will try and save money when there is an opportunity to do so! I will let you figure out the potentialities of this!
All in all, you may decide to have all of the above or keep the cycle going with your CV. Whichever you choose, make it count! Your initial point of contact is make or break!
