A good CV is not enough to find a job
Not all jobs and job markets require just a CV
The professionals
I’ve had happened to work with chartered engineers in the past. Some have their own companies, in which case their company speaks for them. Others haven’t set up a proper business yet, and are still just freelancers with a strong business potential. At the beginning of their ventures, these professionals might need a CV in order to apply to construction companies and get a position as site manager, say.
After a few years, however, a CV becomes rather ineffective. A portfolio presenting the candidate’s past works might be more appropriate, as it is not focused on the individual and their professional qualities, but rather on what they have to offer to a perspective employer.
A skills-based CV is the most suitable format.
Its natural evolution is a brochure, a portfolio, a website with different sections covering the professional’s history, their organization, the tools they employ but most of all, the services they provide and relevant case studies.
New Entrepreneurs
When selecting personnel for a newly launched business, a good CV is not always a priority for me. Yet, I believe having a well-designed CV is important, and can even be key sometimes. Let me give you some examples.
Take the case of franchising networks: when a new entrepreneur wants to become a franchisee, it’s quite common for the franchisor to assess their work history. While personal qualities are certainly important, transversal skills acquired through experiences in the sales or marketing sector may be promising for the success of the franchising, which is, after all, a business.
Moreover, the CVs of potential partners must feature in the business plan that outlines the overall business venture so that investors like banks, Business Angels, Private Equity/Venture Capitalists can see it… So a partner’s CV is very important!
Creative Professionals
For some people, pictures, videos and images are the best way to express what they do and who they are. If you hand paint ceramics, for example, and want to sell your pieces, you can display them in an exhibition, wear them, or take pictures and load them onto a personal webpage, or again, on a shared website for craft makers.
If you’re a model, you’ll have a model’s portfolio.
If you’re a website designer, you’ll let your creations do the talking: whether they’re e-commerce or illustration websites, you can put hyperlinks to websites on your CV, so that prospective employers can see them straightaway.
