Achievement inclusion within your CV.

Our personal CV is arguably one of the most important documents we own. It is our own personal shop window to the world of work, a place where we can promote our expertise and achievements to secure our dream jobs, pursue our desired careers and demand the kind of salaries we feel we deserve.

However, big question marks still hang over the CV – what should be included or rejected, what are the most important parts of the CV, how should we present it in order to get in front of the people that matter, and what do employers actually value most highly on a CV?

This blog details the findings of a survey carried out on 200 UK employers and 1,000 GB workers aged 18+.

200 employers with sole or part responsibility for hiring new jobseeker's were interviewed.

What are the most important things you look for in a candidate’s CV?

The researchers first asked employers what they thought were the most important things they look for when reviewing a possible candidate’s CV. The top three responses showed that employers rated work experience, work based achievements and the list of the jobseeker's previous jobs and positions as the most important parts of the CV. Work based achievements were defined as specific accomplishments that could be attributed to the candidate, rather than generic responsibilities.

Have you ever rejected a jobseeker’s CV due to lack of detail on previous achievements on their CV?

The research then went on to ask the employers about previous roles and achievements in more detail. Specifically, the researchers wanted to know whether employers had rejected jobseeker's as a result of this information being omitted. The results were conclusive, showing that a staggering 73% of employers had rejected a candidate based on the lack of achievements within their CV.

1,000 British workers were asked a variety of questions.

How long do you spend writing your CV?

The researchers first asked jobseeker's to think about the last time they wrote their CV, and ascertain how long it took them to develop it. Given the importance of the CV in the job-seeking process, it is perhaps surprising that the results showed that most people spent less than two hours developing their CV (71%). Only 19% spent one day or more.

When do you typically develop your personal CV?

The researchers then went on to ask about the circumstances in which they tend to develop their CV. The respondents were given six options. 79% of respondents only think about writing their CV when they are actively looking for a new job. Only 6% of those questioned regularly kept their CV updated on a monthly basis.

What is the most important part of your CV?

As with employers, jobseeker's were asked which parts of their CV they saw as most important. The results showed that 36% of jobseekers felt that the general look and feel of their CV was the most important part – something that didn’t rank in employers top three at all. This was followed by work experience (22% - compared to 37% as the employers first choice) and work-based achievements (19% - compared to 23% as the employer’s second choice).

Conclusions

The research findings show there is a clear difference between what jobseeker's think makes a great CV, and what those in a position of hiring them are actually looking for.

The research highlighted how much employers value work-based achievements – it was their second most important success factor on a CV. And the inclusion of this data can clearly have a major impact on the value employers place on candidates – almost a quarter said that candidates could expect salaries more than 15% higher if they included such information. That’s an extra £3,300 on the average annual UK salary of £22,000 – not a small sum.

Almost three quarters of employers had rejected candidates for failing to include this information, suggesting that jobseekers exhibit ‘achievement amnesia’ when writing CVs.

If you have difficulties including achievements within your own CV and need help, then email us a copy and as part of our comprehensive FREE critique service, we’ll happily explain how to incorporate them. We’ll even take one of two of your achievements and provide you with tailored examples absolutely free from charge. That’s the level of commitment we have toward helping you succeed with your next career move.

Email your CV to info@cvervices4u.co.uk and we'll undertake a thorough review of its content.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Stephen

CV Services 4U