Job hunting can be a pretty difficult time: you can often feel the pressure from friends and family – as well as the pressure from yourself (and your bank account, no doubt). But the good news is that, living in the digital age, there are new and exciting ways to help yourself (and your CV) stand out from the crowd.
Instead of emailing off a standard CV, using some simple techniques can help make sure you’re standing out from the crowd and can be a great way to secure that interview with the company you love. With so many benefits – a little bit of extra effort shouldn’t be a hassle, and definitely won’t be a waste of time. And don’t worry if you’re not overly tech-savvy either! Some of the following tips and tricks require hardly any computer knowledge – or can be done with minimal effort. So get reading – and then get applying!
QR codes
credit: Michael Kappel Using QR codes is a great way to make your CV stand out. Link the QR code to an online portfolio, an online CV, or even something as simple as your twitter page. QR code generators are easy to find online and easy to navigate too, you’ll get to download it in a pdf file – which you can then copy and paste in a word document. They create an easy way to boost the appearance of any CV – and they’re so easy to do!
Find out more about QR codes here.
Create an infographic CV
Many candidates are getting super creative with their CVs now and using all the best digital trends to their advantage. Infographics are a huge trend – so if you’re a dab hand with a design software, or you have a friend who owes you a favour – this is a great option! It immediately sets you apart from the crowd – and any employer would love to receive something inventive and exciting – especially when sifting through all the un-inventive CVs.
Here’s some cool examples:
credit: VOZ Design
credit: SylwiaPresleyArt
credit: Bart Claeys
Create a video CV
YouTube is an awesome tool for creating buzz, if you use it well. Why not create a video CV, upload it to YouTube and send the link off to prospective employers? If you tailored each video to the company you were applying too – that’s even more brownie points. A video can express your experience and your personality much more than a piece of paper can – so be inventive and be exciting! Don’t make the video any longer than three minutes though – short and snappy is better than long winded! Be sure to run the video past some friends and family first too – just to get their opinion and to ensure you’re on the right track.
Here’s some cool examples:
typewriting my cv from little_rh on Vimeo.
Video Resume of Sander Roomer from Sander Roomer on Vimeo.
Get technical
This is a tip for all those will some serious technical skills! If you know how to manipulate Google results or you can think of something equally as creative – this is a brilliant idea. This guy manipulated the results pages of Google so that when his prospective employer Google himself – he got a message from him, telling him why he should be hired. It’s super smart and super confident – but why not give it a try! If you have some skills that could get you noticed – use them!
Check this video out for more info.
Create a Facebook page
Create a “hire me” Facebook page and invite friends into it. You never know who might be looking for someone new at their workplace– and you never know the connection and leads that might come of it. Explain you situation in the group and ask friends to invite people into the group too. Outline your skill set and the kind of work you’re looking for – and hopefully people will start to get in touch!
This helpful article was contributed by Agency Central; an online resource for recruitment agencies around the UK, used by job seekers and recruiters alike.