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      How can I optimize my CV?

      Simera wants to help you build a resume that will show the key components of your professional experience as well as Skills and competencies tailored to the positions you are applying to so recruiters won't be able to look away!

      1) Introduce yourself

      Your CV should clearly state your name, contact information, and location. These pieces of information should be at the top. Other pieces of information like marital status, your exact address, your ID number, and even your picture are, for the most part, irrelevant to the hiring manager. Unless specifically noted in the job description, stick to the basics.

      2) List your relevant skills

      Always remember, Less is More. List five to six skills that are relevant to the position you are applying for.

      Avoid:

      • Generic skills like Microsoft Office, PowerPoint, Word, Use of Copy Machine etc.
      • Obvious skills (i.e. "Negotiation" for a sales position).

      Something you should always consider is that the skills you mention must be valuable to the position you are applying for. Some examples are:

      • CRM Management (Hubspot/Salesforce) 
      • Upsales and Cross-Sales Expertise 
      • Full-Cycle Sales Expertise 
      • Microsoft Excel - Advanced 
      • Massive Cold Calling / Emailing Experience 

      Remember, skills are objective, they can be measured easily and can be learned, certified, and polished.

      Competencies are more related to soft skills and subjective in the sense that the same competency can have different measures for different companies or even for different supervisors, so avoid using competencies in this section like "Customer Service Oriented, Team Player, Fast Learner", and others similar.

      3) Experience

      This will be the core of your CV, and it should list your recent and relevant experience.

      Every section should include: 

      • Name of the Company 
      • Position held 
      • Dates of employment 
      • Description of the position

      If one of your recent positions is irrelevant to your application, but you want to avoid CV gaps, you may omit the description all together.

      4) Traditional CVs based on Tasks vs. Optimized CVs based on Achievements

      Traditional CVs are based on the tasks an employee has performed during his or her time in a specific role at a company. The reasoning behind this thought is:

      "If I list all the tasks I am responsible for, all potential employers will be able to see everything I can do!"

      However, it usually doesn't go as planned, and what really happens is:

      • If you list all of your tasks, your CV becomes unnecessarily long, and the hiring manager will lose focus and interest. 
      • If you only list tasks, then it becomes difficult for hiring managers to identify which of your tasks are truly impactful in the fulfillment of your individual and company goals.

      To avoid this from happening, your CV should have an approach based on achievements.
      An achievement is literally a thing you have done successfully by effort or skill. To build your achievements ask yourself the following questions:

      • What are the main objectives of my position, my department, or my company?
      • How do I contribute to them? 
      • How much money does my contribution represent? 
      • How much time or resources do I save by doing my job the way I do?  
      • How much better than average am I at accomplishing my objectives?

      Let's answer those questions.

      What are the main objectives of my position, my department, or my company?

      My company's objective is to be the #1 seller of cell phone data plans on the West Coast. My objective is to sign 50 weekly contracts at $29.99 = $1,499.50

       

      How do I contribute to them?

      I receive inbound calls from clients that are interested in the service, and I contribute by explaining the benefits and details to convince them to agree to a 6-month plan, renewal, or upgrade.

       

      How much money does my contribution represent?

      I sell, on average, 65 new weekly contracts in addition to 10 upgrades, bringing in an average of $1,950.35 in new contracts and about $150.00 in upgrades.

       

      How much better than average am I at accomplishing my objectives? 

      I am about 30% more successful than the average for my job.

       

      To phrase your achievement, use a combination of the following:

      How often? + Verb + Timeframe + How much?

      It could look something like this: Consistently surpassed  the weekly sales objective by 30%, bringing in over $6,000 in additional revenue per year.

      OR if you want to avoid using dollar amounts: Maintained an average of 130% success rate in my assigned new product sales quota in addition to upgrades and existing client contract renewals.

       

      What sounds more interesting?

      Received and handled 150 daily inbound calls to place and sell cell phone data service plans.

      OR

      Consistently surpassed the weekly sales objective by 30%, bringing in over $6,000 in additional revenue per year on the sale of cellphone data plans. Both of these affirmations are true, but one will catch the hiring manager's attention better than the other.

       

      When writing about your experience, avoid:

      • Listing all of your tasks. 
      • Generalizing your tasks and skills. One size does not fit all! 
      • Making a resume longer than 2 pages.

      Do this instead:

      • Identify your objectives, or KPIs.
      • Frame your job based on the achievement of these objectives or KPIs. 
      • Add tasks that can reflect specific skills or competencies important for the position or industry you are applying to.

      5) Education

      At the bottom of your resume, you will list your higher education (completed or in progress). 

      Important notes:

      • Make it simple: the name of the institution, years attended, and major are more than enough information.
      • Stick to high school and university education. 
      • Add courses, certifications, and diplomas if they are relevant to the position you are applying for. 

      A few reminders and a recruiting secret

      When building your resume, remember: 

      • Less is more; make it simple for the hiring manager to identify the sections of your resume and your contact information.
      • List skills that are relevant; avoid generic or obvious skills.
      • Make it short, no resume should be longer than two pages.
      • Describe your experience based on achievements, not generic tasks.
      • One size does not fit all. Make sure your achievements and the experiences you highlight are relevant to the position you are applying for.
      • If you list certifications make sure they are relevant and recent, especially if they are related to software or technology.

      A Recruiting Secret

      Most companies use an ATS (Applicant Tracking System), which integrates artificial intelligence that is able to single out keywords on CVs to prioritize them. If you find a job description, identify key words and skills and utilize them when tailoring your CV, this will ensure that your resume gets in front of the recruiter.