You’ve finished writing your CV and feel proud of yourself. It’s the right length, it has been spell-checked and you feel it beautifully represents you.
I now would like you do do the following…. Take your first page and fold the last third of the page backwards (so you can only see 2/3rd’s of the first page). Read as much as you can in 15 seconds.
Put yourself in the recruiter’s shoes….
Does it WOW? Does it represent who you are and give the recruiter the impression that you are the right candidate for the job? If not, it’s time to go back and readdress the CV. Your front page should be like a ‘sweet-shop’ window – full of enticing information that mirrors and matches the job you are applying for.
At this first stage of the recruitment process, faced with a stack of about 150 CV’s for each post advertised, the recruiter is looking to eliminate as many as possible. Your job is to get on the MAYBE or YES pile! If you don’t pass the 15-second scan test, you WILL end up being rejected.