Wait! Did you ask yourself the right question?

This is the one question, you need to answer through out your CV?

I was once coached on creating a boastful, SMART CV/Resume; this was one tip that has remained from that session.

For each paragraph or sentence. They asked me? So what?

Did you ask yourself the right question?

This is a brutal way of clarifying by yourself. If what you’ve written conveys a lesson learnt? Does it show you added a skill or technique? Or materially did you improve the buisness due to your efforts?

Such a statement as this.

“I managed twenty staff, producing widgets for the aerospace industry.”

Would turn into

“As a new manager in XYZ Aerospace Ltd. I took an underperforming team of twenty staff, through Lean production training. In parrallel I helped the senior mangement team restructuring the incentive scheme. Through these changes I was able to increase the department’s widget production by 30% in six months.”

Or

“As a carpenter, I build Welsh Dressers, Using only hand tools.”

Would turn into

“I’ve passed my City and Guilds exams to level 5 in Carpentry. Under the guidance of a master crafts man, I’m now a expert cabinetmaker. I’ve spent the past five years building full Welsh Dressers, using traditional handtool techniques.

If you need more help in writing the perfect CV try reading this post Writing the Perfect CV

So. Did you ask yourself the right question?