CV Writing Using Keywords

Ranjit Das
General CV Tips

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 What makes a great CV?
• A great CV should capture your skills
and abilities and show what value you
have to offer
• Be clear and concise – 2-pages
• One size does not fit all

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 CV Types
• Chronological • Accomplishments
– Reverse date order – Listing key
of jobs and positions achievements and
held competences
– 90% CVs follow this – Followed by brief
approach outline of positions
held and dates held

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 Typical mistakes
• Lying on a CV
• Not proofreading your CV
• Forgetting to include contact
information
• Inappropriate email address
• CV lacking focus to the job in question
• CV that is responsibility driven not
achievement driven

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 Action verbs to use in a CV
• Analyzed • Controlled • Set up
• Conducted • Directed • Simplified
• Developed • Managed • Taught
• Initiated • Launched • Trained
• Originated • Eliminated • Reorganized
• Organized • Created • Revised
• Planned • Led • Reduced
• Conceived • Established • Solved

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Meaningless words to avoid in a
CV
• Innovative • Ambitious • Competent
• Detail- • Determined • Well-
oriented organized
• Experienced
• Flexible • Hard-working
• People • Efficient
• Self- • Logical
person
• Independent motivated • Professional
• Resourceful • Team player • Successful
• Goal-oriented • Aggressive • Reliable
• Creative • Motivated

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 A CV‟s purpose it to get the
interview
• The objective of your resume
is to land an interview, and
the interview will land you the
job (hopefully!)
– Keep CVs tight – 2-pages

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 Goals or Objectives Section
• Only put a Goals section in your resume if
you are changing careers e.g. Moving
from Finance to Marketing.
• State clearly your intention to move into
a different career line. Keep it short - no
more than two sentences.
• Emphasise your transferable skills.
e.g."Transition to marketing and establish
a career in brand management."
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 Summary Section
• This opening statement should be the
first paragraph the recruiter reads.
• Don‟t make the recruiter wade
through 1-2 pages of information
without knowing anything about your
capability and 'fit' for the role.
• A number of readers will turn to the
next resume.

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 Jane Doe Example
Original
“A dynamic leader with 10 years of experience in
successfully setting up and running service
operations of over 150 people in areas such as
technical support, outsourcing, customer care, and
intellectual property. Has a proven track record in
delivering in demanding environments by building
a performance oriented, open and a development
based culture. A good communicator with good
people skills and the ability to build strong
relationships.”

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 Jane Doe - Updated
• P&L responsibility • Lean six sigma
• Team leadership • Project management
• Business process re- • Organisational restructuring
engineering
• Project managed the merging & restructuring of two
departments affecting 55 staff. Led to a xx% headcount
reduction, $zzz saving in operational costs and yyy%
productivity improvements.
• Led the automation of business processes resulting to reduction
in processing time by xx%, increased service delivery by zz% and
increased production capacity by 40%.
• Led a team of 170 people (15 team leaders and 155 associates)
to be ranked second amongst 16 all-India teams. Set clear
goals and coached individuals to achieve targets.

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Using Keywords in
Your CV

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• Lots of companies „mine‟ CV
databases as a way to short-circuit the
CV screening process
• If your CV doesn't have the keywords
the company uses to carry out a
database search your CV will not be
shortlisted.

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 Review 10-12 job vacancies to
identify the keywords

• By reviewing a dozen job vacancies in

line of work you are interested in you
will see a pattern emerge
• The same keywords or phrases will
keep popping up

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 Keywords are often nouns
• Job-specific/profession-
specific/industry-specific skills
• Technological terms
• Job titles
• Names of products and services
• Industry buzzwords
• Degree qualification

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Examples

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 Analogue Design Engineer
• Based in the Thames Valley, this is a fantastic opportunity for an
Analogue Design Engineer to work on the design/development
and architecture of high performance power management
products for the consumer and networking markets.
• Key skills required: Analogue Design, including Switch Mode Power
Supplies, Control Theory and Discrete Analogue Design.
• The Analogue Design Engineer will participate in defining new
products, writing system specifications and architecting a system
solution that will meet customer specs. The role will also require
validating the architecture through simulation and work with the
design team to develop IC level specifications.
• The successful application will have a proven background in
Analogue Design, including Switch Mode Power Supplies, Control
Theory and Discrete Analogue Design.

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 Marketing communications
manager
• Duties and Responsibilities
– Public relations with an aim of maintaining and building
relationships with the publishing world to put out adverts, press
releases and advertorials to promote the company.
– Create and develop new marcoms collateral to best present the
company products.
– Creative approach to events with a captive audience of key
target clients.
– Conduct market research, both into existing markets and
identifying new markets for our products
• Skills / Attributes Required
– Proven marketing management experience
– Experience of marketing in the technology sector.
– A proven track record of driving and defining complex marketing
strategy
– Prior experience managing a marketing budget
– Degree in Marketing, Business or Communications preferred.

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 Senior Restructuring Solicitor

• Advising financial institutions, insolvency

practitioners, company directors and
shareholders on strategies for recovery and
turnaround, the team is involved in complex,
high value restructurings at an early stage in
the financial decline curve. They are looking
for a Solicitor with at least 7 years experience
in corporate insolvency and restructuring who
has excellent business development and
networking abilities and is looking for a
position with opportunities to grow into the
partnership.

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 Summary
• CV tips
– One size fits all does not work
– Keep it short
– Use the summary statement
• Keywords
– Research 10-12 job vacancies
– Keywords are often nouns

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