Times have changed. Recruitment has changed. The way employers advertise, shortlist and interview has changed.
And if you haven’t needed your CV for years, where do you even start?
Finding yourself back in the job market after 5, 10, 15 or even 20 years can be a daunting prospect.
Your CV may be so out of date that you’re not sure whether you should simply add your latest experience, completely rewrite it or start again. Then there’s LinkedIn, online applications, Applicant Tracking Systems and the challenge of making yourself stand out in a competitive market.
It can quickly become overwhelming.
You may have spent years being the person everyone else turns to because you know exactly what you’re doing. Suddenly, you’re navigating unfamiliar territory and wondering what your next move should be.
The good news is that you don’t have to work it all out on your own.
Start by getting some clarity.
Michelle at My Professional CV™ has worked in recruitment for more than 25 years and understands the job market from both sides of the table — as a Recruiter assessing applications and as someone supporting Candidates through their job search.
She knows how Recruiters and Hiring Managers actually sift CVs, what makes them stop and read, and what can result in an otherwise experienced Candidate being overlooked.
That experience led to the creation of Before You Apply™ — practical, recruiter-led support designed to help you make stronger decisions before you send your next application.
Whether you need your existing CV professionally redesigned, a CV created or rewritten from scratch, help tailoring your CV to a particular vacancy, LinkedIn support or guidance throughout your job search, there is support available.
Because sometimes what you need most is someone experienced in your corner who can tell you what is working, what isn’t and what to do next.
If you haven’t applied for a job for several years, your CV is the obvious place to start.
It can be tempting to send the same CV to dozens of vacancies and hope that eventually something sticks.
Job searching can be a numbers game to an extent — but your CV still has to give the Recruiter a reason to shortlist you.
Your experience may be excellent, but if the relevance of that experience isn’t immediately clear, you could still be overlooked.
The Before You Apply™ Complimentary CV Review gives you an initial recruiter’s-eye view of your CV before you start sending it out.
You’ll receive feedback on what you’re already doing well, together with three practical observations and recommendations that can help strengthen your CV.
And because it’s complimentary, it’s a very sensible place to start.
Many job seekers choose to move on to the Professional CV Review after receiving their Complimentary Review.
Why?
Because sometimes three recommendations identify the immediate issues, but you want to understand the CV as a whole.
The Professional CV Review takes a much closer look at the key areas of your CV and identifies where improvements could be made.
Importantly, you don’t necessarily need to pay someone to rewrite your CV.
If you are comfortable making the changes yourself, the review provides recommendations you can use to improve it — giving you professional recruiter insight while allowing you to remain in control of the finished CV.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make following redundancy is allowing panic to dictate your job search.
More applications do not necessarily mean more interviews.
Be selective.
Take time to research an organisation before committing your time to an application. Look at its values, culture, leadership and attitude towards experience.
Ask yourself:
If the answer is yes, then invest properly in the application.
Compare your CV against the job description. Identify what the employer is actually looking for and make sure the most relevant parts of your experience, skills and achievements are easy to find.
Don’t expect a Recruiter to work out the connection for you.
Make the match clear.
My Professional CV™ can help by reviewing your CV against a particular vacancy and, where required, professionally tailoring it to strengthen that alignment.
If you have spent 10, 15 or 20 years building your career, redundancy doesn’t suddenly make that experience less valuable.
But the job market may have changed considerably since you last had to sell that experience.
That is the part you need to learn.
You don’t need to become an expert in recruitment. You simply need to understand how to position your experience for today’s market, focus your efforts on the right opportunities and make every serious application count.
And you don’t have to navigate it alone.
Before you apply, make sure you’re giving yourself the best possible opportunity to be shortlisted.
If redundancy has brought you back into the job market after several years, you don’t have to work everything out on your own.
My Professional CV™ provides recruiter-led CV and job search support built around more than 25 years of recruitment experience.
Explore the support available at:
My Professional CV™
https://myprofessionalcv.co.uk/
Or, if you’re not sure where to start, begin with a FREE CV Review and see your CV through the eyes of an experienced Recruiter before you apply.
Get Your FREE CV Review:
https://myprofessionalcv.co.uk/free-cv-review/
There is no obligation to purchase anything afterwards. Use the feedback to understand what’s working, identify the areas that could be stronger and decide what you want to do next.
Before you apply, make sure you’re giving yourself the best possible opportunity to be shortlisted.
At My Professional CV, we may use AI-assisted tools, including ChatGPT, to help support our work. Every CV, Interview Coaching and Career Coaching Service is carefully reviewed and personalised by an experienced CV Writing and Career Coaching Expert, so you get guidance that’s accurate, relevant and tailored to you.
