Get a Marmite CV...

By Martin Ellis

Share on: 

I have long held the view that people need to be a little braver with their CV's. Far too many people write their CV so it offends nobody. Trouble is, it attracts nobody either. Bland is simply not good enough.......
 

Recently a candidate sent me their CV. They were struggling to make a connection and get invited to interviews. Actually, their CV was rather good. It looked clean and modern. It contained facts and achievements. But...the personal profile was 8 lines of predictable and bland management-speak: "A talented ..........with extensive experience and a proven track record ...... Results driven, taking great pride in delivering exceptional service.... Detail oriented, analytical and resourceful with acute commercial acumen and an inherent talent ....... Possesses outstanding interpersonal, communication and negotiation skills ...... Thrives under pressure......." You get my drift. But it didn't get his! This was a peanut butter CV - fine, but hardly spectacular. When I spoke with him, he had bags of energy and enthusiasm. I suggested he make it more punchy and direct.


He changed it to: "I seek a role in a company, where I can be recognized for my results, achieved by creative reasoning and big picture thinking. I drive to make things happen, and as a self-directed and self-motivated professional, I can lead teams by transmitting my enthusiasm, paired with my strong determination and natural and persuasive management style. I mix method, creativity and ability to solve problems, normally focused on high level of service and win-win results"


In one week he had 5 new employment connections with the real prospect of interviews. A massive improvement.

You may argue that his second version contains predictable language, but it does so with more energy and with half the words - less is very often more.

I'm very pleased his prospects are much better. He deserves it.

But, the rest of you, please recognise the value of your opening statement. This guy didn't take too many risks, but he took some, and they paid off. 

Marmite works because it gets a reaction - good or bad - but it gets a reaction. Your CV should do the same.


(If you're not from the UK you may not understand about Marmite. It is a strong, salty, brown goo to be spread on toast. It is an aquired taste! Learn more about Marmite - CLICK HERE)

If anybody needs a draft CV format, I'll happily send one along (no charge) if you email me at [email protected]

 

The kind of stuff that Social Hire do...

We won't just do social media strategies. Social Hire will work with you to ensure your business gets genuine value from us and that your team gets the most out of the service. Our experienced social media managers are motivated to make a enhancements to your social media marketing and reaching targets in a way that realistically makes a difference to your business goals.

What the Social Hire gang loves is making a difference for our clients, and we don't want to waste your, or our resources on campaigns that aren't right for your organisation, if it doesn't get your organisation the difference you need - we prefer a better approach. When your business utilises social media management, Social Hire get your brand the exposure it needs and offer your business the lift it needs to improve.

We create and implement original social media marketing plans that help our customers accomplish their organisational objectives and build up their online footprint.

We're an organisation that helps our clients boost their social media marketing by providing social media marketing on a monthly basis.

You might like these blog posts 5 Ways Every Employee Can Sell!, The Importance of Continuous Feedback in Change Management, The 5 Habits Of Highly Successful Social Media Managers, and 5 Small Social Media Mistakes Which Can De-value Your Brand.

  Back to Candidate blogs