CV & LinkedIn Essentials

An impressive CV showcases your information, core competencies, work history, and achievements in a clear format. A good resume captures the recruiter's interest and convinces them of your skills in the specific role and organization. Therefore, your CV should always be tailored and targeted to the position and company you are applying to!

For example, platforms like Canva and Microsoft Word offer ready-to-use templates to visually enhance your resume. When sending your documents, it's advisable to convert your CV to PDF format to ensure the recipient can open it and that it displays correctly. Before sending, it's also a good idea to have someone you know – such as a friend or former colleague – proofread your CV. In addition to a traditional CV, you can also present similar information in a video-CV or a mini-CV format – similar to a business card.

You can utilize Optimum's CV examples to help structure your own CV in terms of layout and wording. However, the best CV is always one that reflects the individual and highlights their best qualities from the perspective of the job requirements.

CHECKLIST FOR AN IMPRESSIVE CV

Before sending your CV, check the following points one more time. We strongly recommend also seeking feedback from a friend, a colleague, an acquaintance or a family member – they will likely notice things you might have overlooked in your own text.

1.    IS YOUR CV CLEAR AND EASY TO READ?

  • Appropriate length: 1–2  pages
  • Take an extra look at:
    • Your headlines and profile text summarizing you as a professional
    • Emphasized words and sections
    • The spaciousness of the layout
    • The visual appearance
    • Error-free language

2.    DOES IT INCLUDE YOUR NAME, PHOTO, AND NECESSARY CONTACT DETAILS?

  • Double-check your essential contact information:
    • Email address
    • Phone number
    • LinkedIn profile link

3.    DOES THE ESSENTIAL INFORMATION COME ACROSS IMMEDIATELY?

  • These should come across at the very first glance already:
    • What kind of a professional are you, what do you bring with you?
    • What do you want to do / learn and why?
    • Always tailor it to the job you are applying for!

4.    DOES IT SHOW YOUR ACCUMULATED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES?

  • Work history, experience and achievements:
    • What is your core competence? What have you actually done in your previous positions?
    • What are the key areas of your expertise? What are your most important work-related achievements and accomplishments?
    • What do you bring to the organization? What additional value can you provide?
    • What do you bring to the workplace / team?
  • Showcase skills acquired from various sources such as:
    • Education and qualifications
    • Thesis, dissertation, or similar academic works
    • Projects and teamwork related to studies
    • Further education, vocational training, self-directed learning and online courses
    • Internships, work trials, etc.
    • Employment history including short-term and part-time positions
    • Hobbies, volunteer work, positions of responsibility

LINKEDIN AS A CAREER TOOL

LinkedIn is a professional networking platform used by millions of people worldwide. Your profile on LinkedIn can comprehensively present all aspects of your expertise and professional interests, including work and education history, as well as other merits. LinkedIn is thus both a social media platform and an extensive database of professionals, increasingly utilized by recruiters and headhunters in their work. For job seekers, LinkedIn serves as an excellent platform for proactive job searching, exploring the so-called hidden job opportunities, networking, professional development, as well as creating and strengthening their professional brand.

AS A JOB SEEKER ON LINKEDIN:

  1. Boost your findability. When a recruiter is searching for professionals on LinkedIn, they are likely to use phrases like 'looking for' along with specific keywords related to expertise. Therefore, make sure your profile contains all the keywords you would like to be found with. In addition to the content, the size of your network significantly affects your profile's discoverability. Therefore, network boldly with interesting professionals, regardless of whether you have met them in person – always include a short introductory note when sending out your Connect-requests. Each new connection in your network increases your chances of finding job opportunities and also provides new perspectives through the content they produce and share.

  2. Once you have been found on searches, it is important that your profile is also clicked on from the search results. It is essential that the headline (below your name) clearly and compellingly describes you. While you’re emplyed, this section most often includes your job title and company, but when job hunting or creating your own more personal brand, carefully consider what unique selling points you believe the recruiter or new acquaintance will find most appealing. Additionally, having a professional photo of yourself and a background image that reflects your personality, are factors that are visible before your profile is clicked on.

  3. Once the recruiter – or anyone else for that matter – lands on your profile, you of course want them to quickly see your professional strengths. Therefore, take the time to create an impressive profile. Describe your skills and your professional interests in the About section, where you can also include bullet points and a lot of keywords. Usually, the About section is read first. Also fill out the subsequent sections such as your work history, education and so on, showcasing your skills. You can find great tips for creating a convincing LinkedIn profile from our webinar recordings.

  4. Utilize LinkedIn's social opportunities actively to build your personal brand. Do this by engaging in discussions, commenting, sharing interesting news, connecting with new people, learning new things, and broadening your professional perspectives. LinkedIn is full of various groups to join, top experts and organizations to follow, and professionals from various fields to add to your network.

  5. Search for job opportunities in LinkedIn's Jobs section. Follow updates from people in interesting organizations, and actively reach out to people yourself. You can also set up job alerts, which automatically notify you of new job opportunities that may interest you. Once your LinkedIn profile is complete and convincing, including the profile link in your CV provides a good opportunity for recruiters to find more information about you with just one click.

Download and utilize our Mastering LinkedIn Checklist and make the most out of your career tool number 1!

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