 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
Prepare A Winning CV
There is every chance that elements of this article may not be appropriate for everyone in every situation - and that's precisely the point! Every situation is different. No two projects are the same. No two Curriculum Development Specialist roles are necessarily identical, but for name. Context, duration, region, sub-sector and many other factors are likely to create requirements that are unique, even when very similar. So a standard CV, or your most recent one with a date change is not necessarily the best one to submit - and I would contend, never the way to approach submitting a CV within a project. Take for example how many large project management companies deal with CV's and their database of consultants. Advertisements on their websites, in development magazines and in newspapers and other media often call for 'experienced' persons to register interest for involvement across various sectors. Some such firms have an online completion process, which facilitates the database search functionality, and others accept traditional CV style submission. It is very unlikely that this CV will be used without modification in a tender submission. Why? As introduced, CV's seldom serve multiple purposes to the same degree of success. Your CV to an organisation to gain registration on their database should be tailored to the requirements of that firm's request, and for the express purpose of making sure that when they are searching for your expertise they find you. [Remember that last month I wrote about promoting yourself, and made the point that if you only submit a CV, you are probably not doing enough - visibility, communication etc needs also to be incorporated into your strategy]. So what needs to be done? Each time your CV is put in for a project, it should be tailored to the exact requirements of that project, including tailored to the selection criteria and with consideration for the other team members to demonstrate breadth and balance within the team. But, this takes a fair amount of time. Yes it does! And, it is time that requires input from you, the individual, as well as the firm pulling together the tender submission. Other than the obvious business development imperatives in preparing the best possible CV, we are not being honest to the cause, not taking seriously enough the importance of the project we are tendering for if we do not invest the time to really consider why we have the right team, and how to demonstrate that. The CV is a key tool to demonstrate higher- level understanding of the project's unique requirements. So, how do we approach this? Once you know the format, or requirements, then some basic principles can be followed, including: ? Identify the key selection criteria and ensure the CV specifically addresses and/ or demonstrates achievement against each ? Identify specific role requirements within the project and emphasise relevant examples in the CV ? Consider specific project risks and identify ways to demonstrate through the CV that by choosing this person [team] these risks are nullified ? Identify project key success factors and key outcomes targeted, and emphasise similar achievements ? Follow the concept where possible of "what it was like; what I did; what it looks like now and why it is better" to demonstrate impact and value in past roles and experiences ? Consider a summary section, at the beginning, to emphasise suitability for role [maintain formatting compliance obviously] ? Use 'achievement' language - led, developed, implemented, managed etc ? Maintain readability - short sentences; only information that is necessary to demonstrate appropriateness; white space on paper; colour etc ? Make sure someone other than the individual and the 'author' reviews the CV for quality. Many agencies calling for tenders where a CV is required often ask for information in a set format - actually, many times they ask for specific information, not always in a set format. This is an important distinction, as it gives some freedom to where information is placed in the document, such that you place your most important information where it will be read early. Never lose sight of the fact that the CV is a selling document. The beauty of approaching the CV this way is that the CV often provides an opportunity to extend the technical submission, which is usually bound to a page limit, by incorporating, emphasising or reiterating key points. Finally, I cannot emphasise enough the importance of the pre-submission quality review, and this is equally important for the CV. Have we got the best team? Have we really demonstrated competence against each criterion? Does the CV read as though it is part of the broader tender submission? Is there anything we have missed? The right team can be a bid winner - certainly worth the time and investment to ensure their CV leads to this result. Preparing winning CV's meldunn.com.au Mel Dunn is Managing Director of Global Business and Development Solutions, which works with individuals and organisations that are committed to business success and the success of others. We work globally and locally and focus on providing sustainable solutions for our clients. We offer a range of services including: ? Proposal and tender development ? Technical assistance ? Research and strategy development ? Quality review of submissions ? Market entry support ? Partner identification ? On-ground representation
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Your Biggest Problem in Business? Work Ethic US Work Ethic Issues and Lack of serviceWell many of us are getting upset with the lack of service these days and no one cares and somehow we have all lowered our standards to the fact that getting good service is not to be expected, but rather a nice surprise if it ever does occur. Many great companies have derelicts, under achievers, cry babies, and people which could really careless and this is causing a rift between the best customers and businesses. Quality Hiring: Are You Doing It Right? Quality hiring is more than running ads, screening, interviewing and checking references. It is a series of specific procedures that can bring in top candidates or create bottlenecks and inefficiencies. 5 Steps to Continuous Process Improvement Part One of Creating Well-Defined Processes SeriesWhat if your sales increased from $100,000 to $110,000 per day and your profit increased from $10,000 to $11,000 - did you improve by 10%? The answer might shock you.. Are You Cascading Your Strategy, or Fragmenting It? INTRODUCTIONThe typical approach executive teams use to cascade, or roll out, their strategic direction is to produce a clear set of goals, objectives, critical success factors or a scorecard and then get each departmental or functional manager to take this on board and customize it for their part of the organisation. The trouble then begins?A TYPICAL APPROACH: EACH DEPARTMENT ADOPTS OR ADAPTS A VERSION OF THE CORPORATE STRATEGYThe first phase of most organisational planning processes is that the organisation's executives design and express a strategic direction using a framework of some kind. The Dog That Didnt Bark A few weeks ago, after consultations with others in an association I represent, I made a partnership pitch to another organization with similar interests. If the idea comes to fruition, it will radically change our organization. Stomp Out Leeches In Your Company Recently, I felt appalled to see a political candidate running on the motto of "Demand More!" That motto oozes extreme nerve, and implies some people think it is o.k. Effective Ways to Give Performance Feedback Consequences of Not Giving Effective FeedbackLet's take a look at some typical examples of what goes on in work environments when managers don't give good feedback.Example #1: John has been working at his new job for one month. Communicating CEOs I see a PR firm has done a survey on the amount of time Canadian CEOs spend on communication, and found they spend almost half of their time on communication.I think we're supposed to be impressed that CEOs spend that much time on communication. Four Ways To Make the Case For Outsourcing How do you convert outsourcing leads into clients? You may need to make the case for outsourcing."Businesses today are kicking into survival mode," says Bill Allison, managing director for the Pacific Southwest Management Solutions & Services Group at Deloitte & Touche. The Gift of Gratitude Gratitude might seem like a soft or even an obvious subject to you. Perhaps you would rather read about a leadership lesson or a marketing approach or even a motivational technique. So, You Want to be in Management? Five Essential Factors that Will Determine Your Chances The following information is based upon over 500 interviews with senior executives with whom I conducted over the past four years. These senior executives represent a variety of industries and organizations. Middle-Aged Managers, the Forgotten Digital Divide The digital divide is defined by the role computers play within widening social gaps in our society, as the condition of one group having an advantage over another group in regard to computers, technology skills and Internet access.This is usually thought of as being a divide between the white middle class and minority communities; but there is another often overlooked class of nonusers, the middle-aged corporate manager. Treat Employees Fairly, Car Wash Entrepreneur sets Industry Standards I believe that whether corporations expense their stock options is besides the point, especially when the stock is worthless. We have studied over the years the rift between employees and employers and we have discovered many great brand names are eventually destroyed from internal strife and friction within the company itself. Best Practices Plan: Dissemination of a Great Idea Good news spreads quickly News of the invention of the wheel must have traveled in every direction as quickly as horse or camel could run. Those who learned of its advantages over the litter and the sledge adopted it right away. Allan Kempert Discovers That Truly All You Gotta Do Is Ask A year or so ago, I met Allan Kempert. Allan was the Quality Assurance Supervisor for a metal stamping company in Ontario, and just completed Norman Bodek's book, The Idea Generator, Quick and Easy Kaizen. Dealing with Marginal Performers: The Therapeutic Approach --PREPARATION: The purpose of the therapeutic approach is to spark an employee toward improved performance through counseling. The manager's goal is to help the employee recognize the existence of a problem, accept the need for change, and formulate his or her own program for improvement. Learn How To Get The Most From Your Team Being a leader isn't easy. Every one looks to you to make decisions, resolve disputes, and to carry all the responsibility. Shrinkage Control What has been your store's shrinkage experience for the last two years? What will it be this year? If it has not been as good as it should have been, now is the time to analyze the possible causes and take steps to keep shrinkage in line this year.WHAT IS SHRINKAGE?The difference between the perpetual book inventory and the physical inventory count is called shrinkage. Balance Your Managerial Life We have only one life, but we live in three overlapping worlds-our business world, our family world, and our other social world. Imagine bringing your spouse and kids to a meeting with seven of your salespersonnel. Effective Meetings by Phone - Part 2, How to Hold a Teleconference Even a well-planned teleconference can go poorly. Some people treat any meeting as a casual social activity instead of as a serious business project.
|
|
|
 |
 |
