The biggest CV mistake after redundancy, and 5 things to do instead

Dealing with redundancy can be challenging. Within hours, most people are being told the same thing: update your CV and get applying.

And that’s good advice, however I recommend slowing down first. A rushed CV is the most common mistake I see after redundancy, and it’s one you can avoid.

Here are five things to do before you send a single application:

1. Separate the news from the pitch
A restructure is a business decision, not a verdict on you. It was the role that was made redundant, although that can be difficult to accept at first. Be transparent about the redundancy as the reason you are leaving your role, but focus the CV on your achievements. Always.

2. Lead with achievements, not responsibilities
“Responsible for a team of 12” tells me what your job was. “Led a team of 12 to deliver a 23% increase in revenue” tells me what you did. Write each point as: ‘Achieved A by doing B’ as much as you can.

Where you have no metrics, highlight what the business result was. How did you add value to the business? What did you improve or change by doing what you did?

3. Write for your next job, not your last one
Your CV should point forward. Decide which role you’re targeting, then choose which parts of your career to highlight, and which to minimise. Twenty years of experience doesn’t mean twenty years on the page.

4. Don’t send the same CV everywhere
A tailored CV gets read, and a generic one gets skimmed, or even ignored. Match the language in the job advert, and move the most relevant achievements to the top of page one, maybe in a Career Impact section.

You don’t need to write a whole new CV each time. Just tweak the top 20% of your CV, primarily the Profile.

5. Give yourself a week
It feels counterintuitive when you’re anxious to get moving. But a week spent getting your story straight beats a month of applications that don’t land.

Take some time to prepare a strong foundation for everything that follows, including your LinkedIn profile, your conversations and your interviews.

And remember, it isn’t about the quantity of applications. Get the quality right first.

If you’ve been made redundant, or you think it might be coming, you’re not alone, and the right CV can make a real difference to how quickly you move on.

Want a CV that gets you interviews?

Email jason@jncv.co.uk

Photo by Mike Kenneally on Unsplash