The more senior the searchers the more prone they are to making this mistake: focusing on their early career when sharing their successes or projects on their CVs, LinkedIn profiles or during interviews.
This is what the interviewer sees / hears:
- A LinkedIn profile that was updated upon registration and then maybe (!) one more time 5 years ago.
- A CV that was well-prepared mid-career and then only new positions were added, usually copy/pasting part of the new job description.
- An interviewee that focuses on the 90’s when sharing their biggest career successes or important projects.
You all will agree that achieving something in the macro-economic environment of the 90’s is something entirely different and requires an entirely different set of skills and competencies than performing well in 2015 or 2018.
The recruiter, hiring manager or interviewer want to know if you have “20 years of experience, or 1 year of experience repeated 20 times”.
Here are some tips on how to get started and updated:
- Make a list “2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008” and challenge yourself to find at least one success or major project per year. Describe it and quantify results.
- If you’ve spent more than 7 years in one company, show how much the company has changed.
Be sure to know your numbers. When having to choose between two candidates, the one who knows their numbers (even if they are less competent) will seem more competent.
More tips on how to prepare your CV, here: www.ThePerfectCV.eu
Have you not updated your CV in some time? Would you like to discuss it? Confidentially? Or need some help? Send an email requesting a career consultation to Bichl.Sandra (at) CareerAngels.eu or by clicking here.
Please note: the call of approx. 45 min is confidential, non-obligatory and free of charge.
