The nursing profession is one that has a wide range of opportunities and positions, and irrespective of the specific position you are applying for, the need remains the same – that of an objective, clear CV that can very clearly convey what you bring to the organisation and how you can advance its goals.

How to Write a CV for Nursing Students

List career objective statements

It is essential to put forward your career objectives and intentions as plainly in as few words as possible at the outset of your CV. This would focus on how you would contribute to the organisation and its long-term goals, and how, consequently, this will affect your own long-term goals. A catchy objective statement is a sure-shot way of ensuring the reader’s attention and have him read further into your CV.

Highlight key skills and experience

The key skills section is essential, especially since nursing students require a wide array of skills you need to use on a daily basis. It would be advantageous to highlight these in your CV and emphasise any that you think add particularly to the long-term objectives of the organisation you are applying to. Highlight any experience you may have, including any volunteering.

Provide evidence of teamwork

Highlight instances during your study or work experience where you may have displayed teamwork; this is of great importance for nursing students seeking employment, and something employers are particularly interested in, in addition to your grades.

Undoubtedly, nursing students need to have extremely strong and focused CVs to be hired for a preferred job. However, make sure not to make your CV too detailed or delve into irrelevant facts. For instance, need to list your coursework, irrespective of how relevant it may seem. It would also not be recommended to include basic technological skills, such as knowledge of Microsoft Office. Most importantly, ensure your CV is free from grammatical and typographical errors; this can be a significant factor in your CV not being forwarded despite the solid claims you may have on the job.

While it may seem daunting, remember that the point is to market yourself and your skills, and you can rest assured that if you follow this through well, you will be one step closer to landing your dream job. If you want to have a fool-proof CV and are not sure how to write one, get in touch with us today, and we will be happy to help you out!

The post CV Tips for Nursing Students appeared first on King of CV.

Sadly, not to many job seekers give the same amount of attention and care in writing their cover letter. As a result, they end up making a lot of mistakes. This is the reason why lots of job seekers are bypassed, regardless of whether they got an impressive and well-written CV.

Below are 4 of the common mistakes job seekers make when writing a cover letter, and how to avoid them.

Putting too much details

One of the biggest mistakes job seekers make when writing a cover letter is to include every single detail about them.

While it’s true that your cover letter is the very first professional document hiring managers and recruiters read, this shouldn’t look like a mini-biography. In fact, you need to put just enough information to peak the recruiter’s interest. At the same time, it should also give recruiters and hiring managers left hanging and interested to learn more about you that it will get them to read your CV.

Focusing on appearances

Job seekers tend to spend hours scouring through different templates and layouts online so that they can find one that they can use for their cover letter. Often, the template they select is made of fancy fonts, bold colors, and too many graphics.

Even if you’re writing a cover letter to complement a CV to apply for a creative job position like graphics design or photography, you need to keep your cover letter’s layout as simple as possible. Fancy fonts, bold colors, and graphics not only eats up a lot of space in your cover letter, but they also can easily distract hiring managers and recruiters from its actual content. As a result, they really don’t notice all your impressive skills and experience that you highlight, and you lose the chance of getting shortlisted.

Making your cover letter too formal

Another common mistake job seekers make is confusing formality with professionalism when writing up their cover letter.

When you write your cover letter, it should give the impression that it’s written by a professional who’s enthusiastic about their career, and the possibility of working with a specific organisation. Formal aspects like adding the company’s address, paying attention to format, and even using flowery words are only secondary.

Adding irrelevant information

Fresh graduates that are applying for a job for the first time are usually the ones that commit this mistake. Hiring managers and recruiters are more interested to find out whether or not you’ve got the skills and capabilities to fulfill the responsibilities of the job you’re applying for. Focus on highlighting details that are relevant to the job opening as well as those that coincide with the company’s culture and vision. That way, you give recruiters and hiring managers insight to how you will fit in the organisation as well as what you have to offer.

The post 4 Things to Avoid When Writing Your Cover Letter appeared first on King of CV.

Include an Executive Summary

An executive summary is your CV in a nutshell when you’re applying for executive level positions. It is not an outline of your career goals. It’s not about what kind of job you want to end up in. It’s about showcasing the reasons why you’re the natural candidate for the position. For example, if you’re applying for a position in a company that’s having some struggles, your executive summary should position you as a turn around specialist. It’s a chance to highlight the skills, experience, and qualifications that make you the ideal candidate.

Make a Good Impression Quickly

Executive level positions are all about producing results. If you want to make an impact, include a ‘Key Accomplishments’ section where you can outline the results you’ve already achieved. Give them the statistics, numbers, and data. Let the recruiter see that you are a person who can deliver the output that’s required from the position.

Core Proficiencies

You want to highlight the skills that make you an obvious choice for an executive level position. At this level things like being experienced in Excel are an expected minimum. You need to highlight more pertinent skills such as change management, employee development, mergers and acquisitions. Listing these skills in a ‘Core Proficiencies’ section gives your CV the executive level clout that you need to land an upper management position.

Target Your Executive CV

CVs are important tools in securing the right job, but you have to know how to use them effectively. You should always tweak your CV so that you target towards the specific job you’re applying for. Every job is different, and each firm will have specific needs and requirements. Aligning your CV with the specific needs within the job profile will make you stand out among all the other candidates for the position.

The post Tips for Preparing an Executive CV appeared first on King of CV.

Don’t Point Out Flaws

It’s important to present yourself in a positive light, but you also have to present your prospective employers in a positive light as well. Avoid pointing out what you see as the flaws in the company’s current strategies and how you would fix them. Pointing out your potential employer’s weaknesses isn’t necessarily the best way to make a good first impression. Highlight what you bring to the company, what strengths you possess without focusing on why potential employers need you.

Don’t Complicate Your Cover Letter

Many people feel the need to make their cover letters sound impressive by using words they’re unlikely to ever use in day-to-day conversation. Use natural every day words in a respectful way. If you use too much jargon, too many clichés, or too many complicated words it sounds like you’re trying too hard.

Don’t Bad Mouth Your Current Employer

Never go negative in a cover letter. It doesn’t matter how bad your current employer is, reading your negative review of your current employer will make a bad impression on recruiters, because even if you’re in the right you still run the risk of appearing like you have a bad attitude.

Keep It Short And Sweet

Cover letters should never be longer than a page. Remember, this is your introduction to the hiring manager, where you hope to make a good first impression before they read your CV. They don’t need too much detail, because they’ll expect that in your CV. Keep it short, respectful, and to the point.

Proofread, Proofread, Proofread

Typos and spelling mistakes in cover letters and CVs make a horrible impression on recruiters. Make sure your cover letter is error free!

The post Things to Avoid in Your Cover Letter appeared first on King of CV.

1. Out-of-the-Box Thinker

Saying that you think outside the box, or that you’re an out-of-the-box thinker is a very common thing in CVs these days. However, for a lot of employers, this phrase comes across as just a handy way to beef up a CV without really meaning anything significant. It sounds good, but to make it meaningful you have to add detail. If you’re an actual out-of-the-box thinker, then you need to give examples of what that has meant in previous jobs. Use this phrase as a way of showcasing your talent for finding solutions that no one else would ever think of. Detail makes the difference!

2. Inspirational Leader

Whenever you see someone writing a CV on TV or in a film, it’s a sort of cliché that they exaggerate about their abilities to make themselves sound more impressive to potential employers. The problem with that is that at an interview, it can become pretty apparent that the details in the CV weren’t exactly conveying the whole truth. One of the phrases that people can use to make themselves sound impressive is to say that they are an inspirational leader. Unfortunately, when it comes to a CV, the old saying that self-praise is no praise is very true. If you have been an inspirational leader, make sure you include details of someone who can verify that. Otherwise, avoid the phrase.

3. Innovative

People often describe themselves as innovative when they write their CVs. Again, it’s a handy phrase that people use to describe themselves in CVs, but what does it mean. Many potential employers can look at the word ‘innovative’ in a CV and dismiss it if it’s not put into context. So, if you have been innovative in your previous jobs, provide examples in your CV. Use phrases like “Created…” “Instituted…” and “Developed…” to give examples of your innovations.

The post Overused Words and Phrases in CVs appeared first on King of CV.

Here are a few simple suggestions to help make sure your CV stands out for all the right reasons.

Graphics and photos in your CV

Studies have shown that HR managers don’t particularly like having pictures or other visuals in a CV. They often find them distracting and make it harder to find the information theyre looking for. So if you have a photo or other graphics in your CV, consider losing them before you send your CV off.

Large chunks of texts

Recruiters often receive multiple CVs for any job opening. When they’re making their initial selection of who to call for interviews, they want to have relevant information readily available on your CV.

To make sure you end up in the pile of CVs being called for an interview, don’t have large chunks of text in your CV. Keep the information short, to the point, and in bullet points.

Stick to one font

Using too many fonts in a CV can make a bad impression. It can convey an amateur and unprofessional feeling. It’s best to have one font for your entire CV.

Your Address

If your applying for jobs well outside your local area it’s best not to include your home address in your CV as the distance you live away from the advertised job may rule you out in the hiring manager’s mind.

Your Email Address

You should absolutely include an email address, but you should make sure it’s the right email address. Don’t include your current work address, as this can make a bad impression. Use Gmail or a similar free email service to come up with an email address that won’t make a bad impression. Just make sure that the username is your full name and not something that you may think sounds cute or funny.

Universal Skills

Don’t include skills in your CV that everyone in the 21st century should have, such as internet, Microsoft Word, or email. These are minimum skills that anyone applying for a job should know how to do. Listing them comes across as unprofessional.

The post Give Your CV An Audit appeared first on King of CV.

Having said that, there are certain do’s and don’ts that apply to every resume, no matter what. In other words, there are certain rules that are as crystal clear as can be and should be followed to the letter.

Yet before we get into these ‘classic’ do’s, let’s first get the most common don’ts out of the way.

10 Common Don’ts

Even though some of these tips might seem simple, there are a number of resumes that actually make these silly mistakes.

Here are 10 common resume don’ts that you should keep in mind:

1: Copy any resume sample posted online as a part of your resume. 

2: Write the words ‘Resume’ or ‘CV’ at the top. 

3: Worry about sticking to the one-page resume rule. Do ensure that if the pages get separated that the first page should contain adequate information. 

4: Lie on your resume 

5: Provide irrelevant information such as marital status, height, weight or even date of birth. 

6: Repeat the same action words over and over again. Try and phrase it differently instead. 

7: Use plenty of jargon, acronyms or even abbreviations that don’t necessarily exist.

8: List an inappropriate email on your resume. Instead, create a business address.

9: List hobbies and skills that have nothing to do with the position. 

10: Focus on creativity and sacrifice readability or clarity as a result. Avoid using colored paper or graphics on your resume. 

Now that we’ve looked at the classic don’ts when it comes to resume, let’s cover 10 common do’s that you should give serious thought.

10 Common Do’s

Not very differently, this list of do’s might be just as simple but there are times when a couple of these necessary pointers are left unheeded.

Here are 10 common do’s that you should think about:

1: Look at a number of professionally written resumes so as to get a good idea as to how a strong resume looks like – pertaining to your field. 

2: Stick to the basics – focus on using fonts and bullet points that makes the reader more comfortable. 

3: Depending on the position you are applying for, customize your resume accordingly. 

4: Write your career objective in such a manner that it focuses on what you can do for your employer. 

5: List basic details related to past employment while ensuring that it is in reverse chronological order. 

6: Start sentences with action words. Omit the word ‘work’. 

7: Add licenses or professional certifications, honors, publications, presentations, patents and even volunteer experiences if it pertains to the position you are applying for. 

8: Add relevant contact information such as telephone number, email address, website, city and state. 

9: Add a section titled ‘Summary of qualifications’ or ‘profile’ at the top so that you can clear about what you have on offer as an employee. 

10: Proofread your resume as much as possible. Also, test as how your resume looks when it is submitted online or in print form before you send it out. 

In Closing

It’s important to understand that while you might not have yet created a resume that stands out, this might not be necessary if you follow these simple pointers.

Are there any other classic do’s and don’ts that you can think of? If so, feel free to add them in the comments section below.

The post 10 Classic Dos and Don’ts to Consider When Preparing Your Resume appeared first on King of CV.

But that was fiction. We now live in a world where this type of writing takes a backseat to technical writing – a genre of writing that deals with big business, customers and jobs. 

Reality, if you will.

But you can still paint pretty pictures with words if you like – only if you see it that way.

The Rise of Technical Writing

Company documentation, e-learning, product manuals, blogs and microblogs dominate the job market.

The options are endless, really.

But no matter what you think, it requires talent to excel in any of these areas ever since analysing the reader has become the norm. This is no different with résumé writing either.

The point I’m trying to make is that each of these types of writing is a skillset to master. This requires a person to study the rudiments of the trade and gain valuable experience.

Not everyone who says they are good CV writers can back their words with action.

So, how does one sift the wheat from the chaff?

In other words, you have to look for a certification that qualifies them to be Certified Professional Résumé writers.

The Benefits of Hiring a Certified Professional Résumé Writer

But for the argument’s sake, let’s ask the obvious: Why should you hire a CPRW?

Don’t you want to get as many interview calls as possible? Especially if you are unemployed at the moment.

1: Costs

Given the situation where you have to depend on your savings to make ends meet, every day is a ticking time bomb. Finding a job as soon as possible will be on the top of your list of things to do.

Yes, hiring a CPRW might cost you but so will remaining unemployed for the next six months. As for those who are already employed, not being paid what you are truly worth is a definite loss as well.

Getting a professionally written résumé means less time in finding a job and also working at one which suits your skills appropriately.

2: Expertise

Trends are what make CPRWs stand out from con artists. Does your résumé still have the sentence “Reference available on request”? If so, then you need to get it updated as soon as possible. Staying in touch with the latest trends is a part of a résumé writer’s education and it’s something that can help you stay up-to-date too.

3: Keywords, keywords, keywords

Hiring managers look for keywords when they skim through a number of résumés. Do you have the right ones pertinent to your profession? If no, then you could be passed up on that perfect interview.

Also, applying through the online applicant tracking system can be tricky, given that résumé parsing can reject your résumé simply due to incorrect formatting. Apart from this, writing your résumé using the result-through-action format is very important as it highlights your accomplishments appropriately.

4: Visibility to hiring managers

Having a job-winning résumé written by a professional makes a big difference. If you take the risk of doing so, then you will get noticed by hiring managers even if you don’t meet their requirements fully. The reason why you will stand a better chance is because you have presented yourself in the best way possible on paper.

5: Unbiased Perspective

While you might not be accustomed to selling yourself for best results, professional résumé writers can do this for you. By asking you the right questions, they can put down the most appropriate skills and accomplishments for the job that you are applying for. In other words, they will be able to express what makes you both, unique and valuable to an employer. An aspect that will make all the difference.

In Closing

Without a doubt, a CPRW can make a real difference to your professional status, if you do choose to hire one.

All you have to do is take the first step… and let them handle the rest for you.

So, are there any other benefits of hiring a Certified Professional Résumé Writer?

Do you have any positive experiences in hiring one in your job search?

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.

The post Why You Should Only Use A Certified Professional Résumé Writer appeared first on King of CV.

That’s the reality.

Yet there are times when musicians, and even writers, struggle to make ends meet because they aren’t, what is best described as, a ‘people person’. Doing this also takes talent. Probably of the highest order. Knowing people and what they want. Also, being able to bring people together in a win-win situation. Recruiters are the bunch of people who can make this happen. Of course, their strengths lie in knowing the skills of people by meeting them and making a call on whether the person suits the needs of the job profile. And yes, they sift through CVs all day long, looking for bits of information that could clue them in on which candidate to call for an interview.

But what if they were hired to write CVs?

Why You Need to Pick a CV Writer Who Has Been a Recruiter

Let’s back up a little and understand the situation just before you get called in for an interview. So, recruiters have hundreds of CVs lying in front of them. This is probably a painful task for an obvious reason – to understand what a person has to offer in mere words. But they do look for certain keywords that can result in an interview call. It’s almost a code that they abide by. So, imagine if someone spent some time understanding this ‘omerta’ and is now writing your CV.

Would your chances of getting called up for an interview increase?

Definitely, yes.

If it must be spelt out, they’d know just the words that recruiters (on the other side) are looking for.

Will you get hired? That really depends on how you perform at the interview. But the CV writer can help you get there. That’s the point, really.

And how do recruiters-cum-CV writers do this? This is where their expertise in knowing which profiles will and will not work comes in. It’s about how they market you on that sheet of paper that makes the difference.

Of course, their mistakes, as embarrassing as they might be, will also be put to good use when translating your candidature into words. They’ll definitely know which words don’t work or which ones do. Apart from just using the right keywords, there are other important elements that go into writing a good CV. This includes presentation. Their experience will also help you eliminate any unwanted elements that take away from the overall CV. Yet most of all, they’ll help you to stay within the presentation guidelines, depending on the country you are seeking employment in. This can prove to be more valuable than you can imagine. For example, in New Zealand, fancy fonts, borders and backgrounds are not the norm. Stemming your creativity, which will turn out to be an annoyance, is something that they will look at too.

It goes without saying that overlooking even the smallest element can cost you an interview at the company you’ve always been wanting to work at. So, there’s a lot that a recruiter-turned-CV writer can do for you than you can imagine.

In Closing

Of course, this does not necessarily mean that just about any recruiter will automatically be a better CV writer than others, given that there are other skills to master too. Some of these skills that are required are IQ, EQ, personal branding, career coaching and interpersonal as well as commercial awareness. Writing, quite obviously, is what combines these skills into a neatly formatted and carefully prepared CV as the finished product.

Are there any other reasons why you think you should hire a recruiter-turned-CV writer? If so, feel free to share them in the comments section below.

The post Only Choose a CV Writer Who Has Been a Recruiter appeared first on King of CV.

Research Is Key

When you’re focusing on finding a job within a specific industry, you need to spend time researching what key words you need to include within your CV. This will take time and effort. You should research websites of companies that you’d like to work for, picking out key words and phrases that indicate the kind of qualities, achievements, and qualifications that such companies value. Knowing what to say, and how to say it, can mean the difference between being called for an interview or being rejected after a brief glance at your CV.

ACTION POINT: When you’re researching key words for a specific industry, make your search as broad as possible. Don’t be content with doing one or two Google searches and looking at the top hits. Take the time to do in-depth research, and really get to know what the industry you want to work in values in its employees.

Real World Examples

To give some you an idea of what industry specific key words look like, here are three examples of key words specific to jobs in customer service, the hospitality industry, and sales and marketing.

• Customer Service: Relationship management, customer communications, customer needs assessment, customer retention, customer satisfaction, sales administration, service delivery, strategic business planning, contract compliance.
• Hospitality: Back-of-the-house operations, catering operations, food and beverage operations, guest retention, hospitality management, inventory planning and control, member development, menu pricing, occupancy, resort management, vendor sourcing, VIP relations.
• Sales and Marketing: Account development, brand management, campaign management, consultative sales, customer loyalty, customer needs assessment, customer retention, direct mail marketing, direct response marketing, direct sales, distributor management, incentive planning, key account management, margin improvement, market launch, market positioning, market share ratings, new market development, product launch, promotions, revenue stream, sales forecasting.

These lists are samples of key words that need to be incorporated into your CV. Each industry has its own specific key words which will determine whether or not you get called for an interview.

Getting Professional Advice

Investing a little can earn you a lot. Taking the time to seek professional advice regarding your CV could well make all the difference in landing you a job you’ll love. Expert CV writers at King of CV, a leading CV writing service in New Zealand, say that many of their clients come to them after months, or even years of failing to find jobs that they’re qualified to do. “Having the right qualifications is only half the battle when you come to write a CV. You have to know what a hiring manager is looking for when they’re scanning through a pile of CVs. Knowing the right words and phrases to use in a CV makes all the difference, and that where professionals like us can make the difference between success and rejection.”

The post Making Your CV Industry Specific appeared first on King of CV.