It was my morning newspaper run and I remember reading something
about Yahoo! CEO Scott Thompson having to resign over some row over his fudged
up CV. Now that isn’t so bad that a CEO has to resign, I thought. There was
more important news to read. The stock market was headed nowhere and the government
was coming up with more taxes. And I did not even own stock in Yahoo!
After a gruelling day at work, just as I was about to leave,
I was asked to interview a candidate on an emergency basis. Armed with a very
impressive CV, he had started a scuffle among project managers as to which of
them would win him over. The CV covered almost everything anyone could ever
mention about SAP. Something was wrong here, I wondered. Years of experience
and the amount of knowledge seemed to be disproportional. As I opened the call,
I realised the truth in the first couple of minutes. Just knowing about terms
you mention in the CV does not justify you have knowledge of it. The
interviewer knows. He knows.
And I could suddenly find a link between the CEO and this
entry level guy. Though the two cases cannot be compared, the effect was still
the same. Different causes, different reactions but the same end.... Rejection.
I have always maintained that be proud of what you are. No
one can know everything. But whatever you know, make it a point to present it
clearly and crisply. A CV is your messenger to the employer and a messenger
always has to true while still being presentable. But I have seen so many CVs, typed randomly, colourful
and even with quotations and peppered with every bit of technology parlance.
And in this myriad mix, the essential flavour of the individual is lost in the
flurry of making another copy of a famous resume.
A CV is not a Lego toy which is built with some block from
this box and some from another. It is a reflection of your personality. I
thoroughly scan a CV before I move on to what the candidate actually has to
offer. A simple, crisp and to the point manuscript with relevant achievements,
relevant experience and relevant personal information is my favourite. And it
appears only in the ratio of about one in ten.
Before you start building your CV, make a plan of what you
plan to put in. Having won a spelling competition in the fifth grade has
nothing to do with building Business Objects reports. On the other hand having
a certificate in a foreign language could definitely come in handy. Start with
a summary of your experience, your current role and your aspired role. Move on
to your achievements and keep the detailed work experience information in the
end. Many an interviewer would not be interested in the details and would miss
out on the important section of achievements if he gets bored before he reaches
there.
Keep the CV clean and clutter free. Keep it trite and to the
point. And you will see the effect yourself. No more heartbreaks, no more
rejections and no more saving face even if you land up with the job. Be honest
and be true because finally that is what actually pays.
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