If you’re setting up your own business, working for somebody else, writing a book, creating your own art or writing your CV to get a job you really want, what do you want to say that makes you different to everybody else?
How will people notice you over the white noise of the world?
Maybe you’re writing a novel, but does the world really need yet another novel which is the same as thousands of others? If you’re a musician, does the world need yet another version of whatever the latest big thing is because that’s what’s popular now?
Does the structure, design and content of your CV reflect who you really are and who you want to be portrayed?
In 2014, the prolific American musician Jack White put out an album ‘A Letter Home’ with Neil Young on his own record label Third Man which was recorded in a 1947 Voice-O-Graph vinyl recording booth.
You may ask why he felt the need to do go to these lengths to record an album when technology makes things so much easier these days, but Jack White has always been committed to making music his own way and this was the first time a major artist used this technique in decades, so it got noticed.
It was different.
Not just because it was ‘novel’ but also because Jack and his company Third Man stand for quality, beauty and tradition and succeed at doing it in their own contemporary way.
Third Man Records stands for a lot of things and when you stand for things, people come to you — Jack White
Whether you like the music or not, you know that you will always get a certain level of quality and commitment from Third Man and Jack White.
They found a way to work with the system while being totally themselves.
A popular word on CVs is ‘authentic’ and it sounds good.
But how authentic are you really? And what does that mean to you? If you are, fantastic, but is that authenticity clearly evident on your CV?
Find your own path.
In this case, I’m not talking about wider concepts here such as a fair society and equality, I’m talking more about your personal stance.
In addition to writing CVs for my clients, I spend my time songwriting and writing about travel, food and personal development. I do everything I can within my power to make all of those things the best that they can be. In my own way.
Some people may hate it, while others love it and I’ve reached a point in my life where I’m okay with that. Of course, I’d be lying if I said criticism didn’t hurt, however, these days, I don’t focus on it over everything else and this has helped me to be more comfortable and proud of who I am, what I do and what I stand for.
If you’ve read some of my other blogposts, you may have noticed that the header image rarely has anything to do with the content of the post. I pick them because I like them and they sing to me for whatever reasons.
Equally, your CV is your opportunity to sing your own song. In your own way.
I read a lot online about how to write better CVs, use social media more effectively and get more clients and it’s all really useful, but I’ve found that the key element is to somehow incorporate yourself — who you are and what you represent — into this process. Otherwise, you’re just another person following the same rules as everybody else. And then you’re just adding to the white noise.
One of my favourite questions is:
When you look at yourself in the mirror, what do you really need to do or say today so much so that it would physically hurt you if you didn’t?
And this can apply to pretty much anything, including your CV.
You have something to say and nobody can say it in the same way. Be brave!
So, with this in mind, what do you stand for?
If you would like some help getting your CV to represent more of who you really are and stand out more, get in touch. I look forward to hearing from you.
Email jncvuk@gmail.com
Linkedin Jason Newton
Header Photo Evgeniy Alyoshin on Unsplash
Orange Photo Oleg Laptev on Unsplash
Third Man Photo Third Man Records
jncv.co.uk 
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