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Prove you're worth a boosted salary offer
If you're sick and tired of the UK's ever-deepening constitutional crisis, you're not alone. But amid the sound and fury, Britain's political upheaval has actually quietly dealt job-switchers a rather good hand. As Brexit uncertainty seeps into every crevice of UK business, professionals are playing it safe and sticking with their current employer. With candidates being less willing to change roles, companies are having to offer extra cash to draw in talent.
Salary offers have increased a whopping 30.2% since last year, a study by CV-Library found ‒ that's a very tidy payday. This statistic is not to be taken for granted, however. You still have to prove to HR managers that you're worth this boosted wage, which means that you must know how to sell yourself on your CV. Read on for our top CV tips, to ensure you're getting a bite of this Brexit bonus.
Customise for each application
A standout CV is an absolute must for any job seeker, even when the market's in their favour. Brexit may be shrinking the applicant pack, but you'll soon be at the back of it if you're not tailoring your experience for each role.
When a vacancy catches your eye, read the posting thoroughly ‒ and then read it again. It might sound tedious, but it's the only way to be sure you've got a proper grasp of what the company is after. With the information fresh in your mind, set to work modifying your CV.
A full fifth of recruiters admit to rejecting a candidate before reading their entire CV, so it's imperative that the material most relevant to the given vacancy is highlighted. Don't get sentimental about some of your personal prides ‒ if it's not relevant to the job, cut it out.
Quantify your achievements
A tailored CV will always win plaudits, but not if you're only mimicking the job description. Take, for example, an opening in sales. If honing your application amounts to a crude “sales experience” reference, don't expect much luck ‒ even amid the Brexit job-switch boost.
To do your experience justice, you need to quantify it. That means laying out in black and white specific skills and achievements that demonstrate what you can offer to an employer. Continuing the sales analogy, you should be asking yourself some key questions: What have I sold? How much did I sell? Who were the most high profile clients? How much of the market did I cater to?
When you've got your answers, format them in a simple, attractive manner. Bite-sized, bullet-pointed nuggets of information are always a safe bet. Figures and statistics that speak to your contributions will impress and help to land that sized-up salary offer, as well.
Proofread
When poring over a piece of writing, there's nothing quite as jarring as poor grammar. A sizeable majority of recruiters even fess up to rejecting candidates for their spelling and grammatical mistakes alone. But with a touch of careful proofreading, that Brexit salary boost needn't go a-begging.
First off, every prospective employee should use a spell-checker on their CV. Be it Microsoft Word, Google Docs or whatever other word processor you like to use, it almost certainly has a built-in spell check. This is your first line of defence against sloppy spelling and grammar… but such software is not infallible. For example, it fails to take context into consideration, and will often mark incorrect acronyms and industry-specific terms.
A repeated, thorough read-through might sound primitive, but it's the best way to ensure your writing is up to scratch. A first once-over should identify any glaring errors the software might've missed. A second read should concentrate on flow and consistency. Does the text feel natural? Are the order and pacing correct? Is the tone consistent throughout? A third, final read-through should be done out loud. Odd as it may seem, verbalising your writing is a proven strategy for identifying mistakes and ensuring smooth rhythm.
Finally, it's always helpful to have someone else glance over your CV. A fresh pair of eyes will help to pick up any elusive errors ‒ and the offer of constructive criticism should always be welcomed.
Enlist a pro CV writer
There's an old adage: "you have to speculate to accumulate." As in, you need to pay a little to earn back a lot. Research by TopResume found that on average, job applicants with professionally written CVs were determined worthy to earn 7% more than their DIY competitors. If you're looking to bump your salary offer, it's a bit of a no-brainer.
Professional CV writers can improve your CV in a number of ways; attention-grabbing language, polished formatting, and expert knowledge of candidate screening software are but a few of their interview-winning abilities.
A happy by-product of the UK's political uncertainty, salary offers have boosted significantly in Brexit Britain. But if you want to reap the rewards, you still have to put your best foot forward. That means crafting a CV that puts you head and shoulders above the competition. Do that, and a bumper Brexit payday awaits!
Secure that increased salary offer. Learn more about working with a TopCV professional CV writer.