Express Yourself

This past week has been all about writing resumes and cover letters for some very fine folk just north of Auckland.  I've always been the "go to" person among family and friends to help update and make a CV fancy, but doing it for randoms was a surprise. Not that that's a bad thing.

For anyone about to sit down to try and write about themselves in an attempt to take the next step in their career, or even get back into the workforce after studying/travelling/parenthood (or all of the above), if I could offer you just one piece of advice it's this; express yourself!  

I've been on the recruiting side and when you're trawling through hundreds of job applications, the ones that stand out (in a good way) are those that tell you a bit more about the applicant instead of the bare minimum.  Its nice to know who you are, not just what you do.  

It's good to include personal information, like hobbies or what you like to do for fun. The CV and cover letter needs to accurately reflect who you are as a person, because you are more than just facts on a page.

One of the most risky things I've done when applying for a job was having 'Pick Me' as my subject line.  But guess what?  They did!  Maybe it stood out in the hundred emails of 'Application for ...' or perhaps they knew I was quirky enough (and honest enough) to deserve an interview.

Until next time...
Fx