Though you’re still in college, it’s best to remember the following: standing out in a cutthroat job market is very difficult. You’re competing with fellows like yourself who’s just got off college – still green in the job landscape, along with those who have some work experience and others who have been in their careers for long as they can remember.
In order to make yourself a viable candidate who's a cut above the rest, you need to make yourself a highly marketable and desirable job applicant. You can do just that by presenting to hiring managers various job skills that are important to the industry you’re applying for and what they’re looking for.
For starters, there are a number of work skills that encompass all industries and are a must to have in order to achieve success in one’s career.
To help would-be applicants like yourself and your peers, this post will look into some of the most crucial and helpful career-defining skills that you should know, possess, and harness to impress hiring managers and company executives. Read on to learn more.
Preparing CV 101
Professional career advisors agree that preparing CV is highly important to know and harness before you leave college.
Think of your CV as your professional showcase to hiring managers and would-be employers. Oftentimes, it’s the first thing a sourcing officer would look at and know about you. In fact, they’d even form a first impression and initial judgment of your character, professionalism, and employability with your bank teller resume. Thus, it’s crucial that you prepare and write your professional CV with utmost precision and care.
Check out the following tips below to help you prepare and write a professional-looking and standout CV that’d amp up your chances of being accepted to the role(s) you’re applying for.
Know What Your CV’s Main Purpose Is
Indeed, many thought leaders and business professionals agree that a great CV should serve as a job seeker’s marketing tool. It shouldn’t be a long, winding list of academic achievements, skills, and so on.
Align the contents of your CV with the job and/or industry you’re applying for. Make changes to your CV for every job opening you’re eyeing – emphasize the qualifications that make you the ideal candidate for that position.
Keep Your CV Clutter-Free And Professional-Looking
When preparing CV, remember the following core tenet: simplicity reigns supreme.
To keep things simple with your CV, check out the ff:
Use a professional font face
Use 12-point font size to promote readability
Keep information organized by using headings and bullet points
Make sure that your contact information, professional email contact, and the like are updated for the hiring managers’ reference
Following the above-mentioned tips will make your CV clutter-free and professional-looking, a tad better compared to your competitors.
Provide Notable And Quantifiable Achievements
Show and pick achievements that are noteworthy and are relevant to the position(s) you’re applying for. Aside from that, you can further dive into the specifics by quantifying those achievements that you’ve cited in your CV. By doing this step, you’re relaying to hiring managers that though you don’t have any professional experience yet, you’re an achiever that’s well-primed to take on a fruitful professional career journey with their companies.
Practice, Practice, Practice
As mentioned earlier (and in the title of this post), preparing CV is a skills, it’s not a one-time thing. With ample practice, you can improve in preparing CV though you’re just a novice. You can try making and preparing CV samples in your spare time. Additionally, you can help your peers and friends write CV format samples.
Seek advice and feedback from experienced professionals, your career advisor, and so on, about your CV writing skills.
Showcase What Your Skills Are
One aspect that employers would pay attention to good CV is your skillset. You should indicate a combination of hard and soft skills in your CV to show your future employers that you’re ready to take on challenges in the workforce with the help of the skills that you already have.
The following section will enumerate X helpful career-defining skills that are a must for every future work personnel. Continue reading.
6 Other Helpful Career-Defining Skills You Should Know
Indicated below are six career-defining skills that are highly valued across multiple work industries. In fact, adding these into your CV can significantly enhance your appeal and employability to potential hiring managers.
1. Being Adaptable
In a fast-paced, ever-changing work environment, adaptability is a prized skill. Show examples of how you’ve successfully adapted to new technologies, workflows, or work cultures in your CV.
2. Being An Effective Communicator
This includes both verbal and written skills. Describe situations where your ability to communicate clearly and persuasively contributed to your success.
3. Being A Great Leader
Even if you’re not applying for a leadership role, demonstrating leadership skills can be a huge plus. Provide examples in your CV of how you’ve motivated a team, led a project, or mentored others.
4. Managing Time Wisely
The ability to manage time efficiently is critical in meeting deadlines and handling multiple tasks. Showcase your time management skills by describing how you've juggled various responsibilities.
5. Critical Thinking
Employers value the ability to think critically and make independent decisions. Cite examples in your CV of when your critical thinking skills were crucial to resolving issues or improving processes.
6. Being A Team Player
Most jobs require some degree of collaboration. Discuss your experience working in teams and how you contribute to achieving groups’ objectives.
To Conclude
It’s best to make preparations now when it comes to entering the job market. Due to trying times and a high number of competitors, you need to show you’re better compared to your peers. Make sure that you know and harness the abovementioned skills to help you with your future career – starting with your first job application.
