If you are currently job searching, a recent survey of ours identified three crucial factors that will help you make a shortlist.
Of the more than 1,100 employers we spoke to, 51% nominated industry experience as the key factor that helps a candidate stand out from the crowd today.
Right now, employers are less willing to take a chance on someone, which means you need to highlight applicable industry experience on your CV if you are to make the shortlist. Also highlight any transferable experience and skills that are relevant.
This was closely followed by cultural fit – which 50% of employers said was important. Given this, it’s advisable to research a hiring organisation’s culture and values then share in your CV and in an interview examples that demonstrate how your way of working is aligned with theirs.
Third on the list was a good CV with relevant experience – which was important to 39% of the employers we surveyed. Employers today want proof that you could do the job well. They aren’t willing to take a chance on an unproven performer, which is why it’s important to demonstrate the relevance of you experience and the value you could bring to their organisation.
One way to prove the relevance of your experience in your CV is to add quantifiable evidence. Ultimately, impactful numbers are very compelling in the context of a CV and allow you to undeniably prove that your experience makes you the right person for the job.
There are a lot of ways you could quantify and prove the relevance of your experience. For example, you could state the number of admin staff or projects you’ve managed, the volume of work you delivered in a given timeframe, the number of stakeholders you’ve worked with, the impact of process improvements you’ve made or the number of events you’ve arranged.
If it’s been a while since you last updated your CV, you can download a free CV template from our website here to help you craft a winning document.
 INDUSTRY EXPERTAlex Jones is Senior Regional Director at Hays Office Support.  |
