Resume and Employer Needs
When writing your resume or CV you should always remember that you are trying to convince the employer that YOU are the best person for the job. In order to do this your CV/Resume is your personal ‘sales letter’. It must be written from the perspective that it is not ‘what can the employer do for you’ but a case of ‘what you can do for the employer.’
Keep this in mind when creating your CV and ensure that every point you make is one that will highlight how the employers business might benefit from having you on board.
Employers want all the cogs in their machine to be working efficiently and running on time and working towards maximum output. They want to know that you will assist them in keeping that machine (their business) running smoothly.
Don’t be afraid to be bold and state ‘this is what I will do for you’.
Not all employers know what the intricate aspects are of every vacancy that exists within their organisation. Thus they rely on ‘results’ that are observable and feedback from their workforce as well as job descriptions that they may have created themselves, had help to create or obtained from an outside source as a standardised document.
What do most employers want?
In addition to technical skills and competencies that relate to the job most employers want transferable skills, i.e.:
- Good written and communication/interpersonal skills
- Ability to listen and follow instructions, apply knowledge.
- Willingness and ability to work with others – team work
- Administrative/computer skills
- Time management
- Personal Management skills
- Problem solving
- Able to find and use information
These skills while not necessarily achieving immediately observable results do contribute to the overall effectiveness of the organisation. So mentioning and demonstrating your transferable skills is as important as highlighting your technical skills.
Identify your employer’s needs, and convince them that they need YOU!
