Have you ever had the chance of presenting a print-out of your resume in person? You might think everyone has but apparently not. I have had the pleasure of doing that. What about the good old pre-pandemic interview where you look for your best interview outfit,if you are a lady you may have called your friend to help with your “proffessional make-up” and argued if a red lip was too bold or not.
This corona period has given us a new appreciation of human contact and just how significant and special it is even in not so cormfortable experiences like going for job interviews.
In the digital world, make-up is still thing don’t get me wrong but what is more of a thing is how to get those jobs and how to prospect for clients. So that brings us to the CV debate or resume as Americans call it.
Is there a difference anyway?
Traditional CVs
These 2-3 page CVs are still relevant as they relay the most important points a recruiter may want to know :
- Work experience
- Education
- Community involvement
- Professional achievements
Traditional CVs focus on positions that you held and roles that you played while web/online CVs focus on individual tasks and specifics. What can you do for me now?
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Online CVs
Online CVs are not that different because you still need to show what you are bringing to the table. The only difference is that the competition is way higher. Have you visited bidding sites and seen that scenario? It’s literally you against the world with applicants from India, Phillipines, America, UK, Europe etc all bidding for one opportunity.
Your online CV needs to cover :
- An order of the regular CV categories ( there are lot of templates out there)
- Work experience tailored to the specific job you’re bidding for
- Safe easily readable fonts like Ariel or Roboto
- Highlight categories in bold
- Work portfolios ( especially for creative work like graphic design or writing)
- May include presentations and videos if applicable
- Links to previous employers
- Social media handles
- A link to your website if you have one
Other possible requirements
Some people may find these surprising:
- Online personality tests like Strengthsfinder or Myers Briggs Personality Test
- Typing speed tests
- Birthsigns
- EQ (Emotional Intelligence tests)
- Logic tests
- Aptitude tests
This may seem like an overwhelming list but don’t worry, different people ask for different things. I have to say that it’s way more dynamic and time-consuming to get all the things together for different people
Online application forms
These are also quite common in the web jobs world. Most of them will require you to attach your CV in addition to answering a bunch of questions, most of which would be typically asked
on an interview but because they probably receive way too many applications, this may be a way to narrow down the numbers.
Do seasoned workers also have to do this?
The answer is yes and no depending on the circumstances. Most of the time when you have been there for a while, done some work, build a reputation ,brand, a following, an email-list and a referral network, the process may be different. It takes time, patience, effort and investement to get there.
Summary
If you’re new to this world, just start slow. Thinking you need to have all your ducks in a row may stop you from ever moving forward.
Do you need support on your journey? Contact me by booking a call here
Tech/Content Virtual Assistant|Digital Marketing 