How to adapt your CV according to a job offer?
Like the cover letter, far from what some people may think, the CV is not a standard document. It must be adapted to each sector of activity concerned. Admittedly, looking for a job is not easy, but that does not mean that you can send the same CV template to all job offers. For a CV to be good, it must be well suited to the position sought.
Why should you adapt your CV to your sector of activity?
Granted, most recruiters don’t care how many resumes they receive. But for yours to be the most interesting, it has to have something unique about it, something that others don’t have. Keep in mind that a recruiter only gives about 7-8 seconds to read a CV. If it does not correspond to the sector of activity concerned, it will immediately be thrown in the “trash”.
So that the recruiter continues to read your CV, it must be the right one. It must show at first glance that you have all the qualities required for the position and that you master the codes perfectly. You can find examples of CVs in various sectors of activity on the internet to quickly and easily create your own.
In the digital and IT professions, you need a CV with figures but with a touch of creativity to highlight the performance criterion. Giving figures will also add value to your past achievements and therefore give your future employer confidence. In addition, there are data that can only be explained with figures such as the evolution of software performance, or the increase in the number of visits to a site thanks to your intervention, or the increase of the conversion rate.
In the digital and IT sector, these are purely technical professions. They are ROI or Return on Investment oriented. This is why it is essential to support your skills and experience with figures. But your CV must also remain sober and classic but without forgetting the creative touch. If possible, attach your portfolio to your CV to be more impactful.
Marketing, Communication and Commerce
In these sales professions, “selling yourself” is the golden rule to apply for a successful CV. Keep in mind that your recruiters are looking for people who know how to market themselves to better “sell themselves” and to be “sold” at better prices. Make your resume stand out from other candidates without overdoing it.
If you want, use color and framed shapes to highlight certain headings over others, but without overdoing it. 3 colors should be enough and above all avoid colors that are too bright.
In the marketing, communication and commerce sector, also insist on highlighting your diplomas and your achievements by supporting them with concrete and specific examples. And don’t hesitate to use figures if necessary. Finally, add a nice professional photo to be more original and to make communication easy.
Here, recruiters favor candidates who give an image of competence and seriousness. For you to be the lucky one, you must present through your CV a profile of a good finance and accounting professional. Choose a sober and impactful CV by playing with only one color.
You can also add figures since figures are one of the things you will need to know when you are hired. And to gain the confidence of your recruiters, do not hesitate to add to your CV the references of people who can recommend you, especially people for whom you have worked in the past. And highlight the points that meet the requirements of the offer for which you are applying: autonomy, ability to work in a team, seriousness, etc.
If you have already been a Logistics professional, you must understand that it is important to explain on what scale your previous missions took place in order to land a new job in this same sector. And when you spread them out, you must present them by level: geographical (regional, national, international), organizational (size of the team, number of warehouses, number of deliveries per day, budget, etc.). In this way, your future employer will understand your way of working, your strengths and weaknesses and your motivation for the coveted position.
In short, simply provide clear and easy to understand details that allow your recruiter what responsibilities you can take on and what work environment you can bring to the company. Demonstrate through your CV that you are quite dynamic because it is also one of the qualities required in this sector. And do not fail to specify that you have a perfect command of the various information systems and work software used in this sector, including SAP, GTS, and Paragon.
If you prefer to apply for an offer in the Human Resources sector, do not ignore the importance of soft skills and well-being in the workplace. You must be able to demonstrate through your CV that you understand the real needs and challenges of a company to take on the responsibilities of this sector. Also show that you are in perfect sync with the culture and values of the company you are applying for.
You can illustrate your achievements with tangible results by highlighting the effects of your actions. And refer to the ad to use the keywords of this sector in order to stand out from other candidates.
You now know which type of CV to choose depending on the sector of activity concerned. But whatever sector of activity you want to join, avoid making a CV that is too long, full of spelling mistakes and too colorful. Always keep it simple, readable and original on one or two pages.