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Build a great CV
It is almost impossible to consider serious online job hunting without an accurate, up-to-date CV. This is because retail recruiters don't only use job postings to attract candidates. They also actively search the growing number of online CV databases.
Some retailers are also developing their own CV databases of potential recruits. So, while you may not be right for the job you are applying for, you could be the perfect fit for a future vacancy.
All this means that you cannot afford to get your CV wrong. It must be well presented and highlight the skills and experience retailers are looking for. To ensure you have a great CV you need to:
Style and layout
Retail is a labour intensive industry and managers can spend a lot of time scouring CVs and application forms in a bid to fill vacancies. Your aim is to make it easy for them to screen you in rather than rule you out.
Always check the job advertisement for any information about how the recruiter wants to receive your CV. For example, most recruiters will only accept CVs as word documents and/or pdfs. This makes it easier to store the data and share it with colleagues.
Your CV should be clear and concise and ideally no more than two sides of A4. It needs to be easy to read on screen as well as on paper. So don't use lots of fancy fonts or colours to highlight odd bits of information ' these are just distracting. You might, however, use a minimal amount of bold text to signpost different sections of the CV.
Information to include
Personal details - name, address and telephone numbers are quite enough. Keep this information upfront so that it is easy to retrieve the CV. Nationality is also important in retail because employers want to be sure that you are eligible to work for them. You do not need to mention your age.
Education - if you're a first or second jobber then you should list your education before your work experience. It's worth listing academic qualifications from GCSE onwards and any professional qualifications you have. These could include any work-based qualification such as national vocational qualifications ' especially if they are in retail. If you have good grades that you're proud of, include them in the CV.
Older, more experienced job hunters should keep this section brief and include it after employment history. If you left school with GCSEs or 'A' levels then simply state that. If you graduated from university, it is always worth saying what, where and when you studied as well as the qualification you attained.
Don't forget to include any other relevant professional or skills training you have had. Retailers are keen on staff development and although qualifications such as a customer care certificate gained in a previous job won't, on its own, get you an interview; it shows recruiters that you take your personal development seriously.
Work experience - list this in reverse order with your current or most recent job first. Recruiters want to know where you worked and the job you did. Beyond a brief description of your responsibilities in the job, they want to know what you have achieved because this will give them an idea of what you might do for them.
For example, perhaps you were involved in a store makeover that brought more customers through the door or resulted in increased takings. Make sure your CV emphasises your role in this.
If you don't have retail experience you need to consider what transferable skills you have acquired. For example, most jobs involve some aspect of customer care - even if your customers are your colleagues. And there are few jobs that don't require some sort of team work. These are extremely useful skills in retail. Be sure to highlight them.
Keywords - e-recruiters use 'keywords' to search a raft of CVs for possible interviewees. These will be a set of words or short phrases that capture the skills and experience they need the job holder to possess. Retail keywords could include customer service, team work, flexibility, communication. They could also focus on the products the business sells such as fashion, food, homeware or electrical retail experience.
Keywords will vary from job to job. For management vacancies they could include team building, influencing others or driving profitability. For store designers or visual merchandising jobs they might be looking for phrases such as creativity and innovation or brand awareness.
Make keyword technology work for you by scouring the jobs in your chosen field to get an idea of what retailers are looking for.
Other skills - it's worth including other skills that you have gained - such as a driving licence or a second language. They show you are a well-rounded person and while they may not be directly relevant to the job, might tip the balance in your favour.
Hobbies - they are optional, but don't major on them. Their primary role is to help interviewers break the ice by discussing something more personal with you. Don't make them up. Interviewers won't be impressed when they find you don't in fact know one end of a boat from the other.
Avoiding gaps in your CV
Make sure all the dates in your CV tie up - gaps simply invite the recruiter to guess what you have been up to and come to an unfavourable conclusion. If you have spent time out of work for whatever reason, be upfront about it. Consider the softer skills you have learned. A concerted period of job hunting will have developed your project management skills, while time out bringing up children will have enhanced your time management skills. Make this clear on your CV.
Tailoring your CV
Take your job hunting seriously and consider tailoring your CV to match the job you are applying for. This is particularly important if you have lots of experience and want to highlight specific skills to match a role. The great thing about e-recruitment is that recruiters are now able to provide a lot more information about each vacancy than they could when they had to rely on paper-based advertising. Make the most of it.
You won?t be able to tailor your CV to a specific job if you are posting it onto a CV database so be sure that covers all your major achievements.
Covering letters
Many e-recruiters encourage jobseekers to include some form of covering letter or message with their application. When you apply for a job through RetailChoice.com, and upload your CV, you will be asked if you would like to include a covering message. This is another opportunity to highlight why you are the best person for the job and will enable you to highlight particular achievements if you are using a standard CV.
The secret of a good online covering letter is to keep it short - a few sentences only - and to the point. Include your contact details and your full name. Make it clear what job you are applying for and emphasise one or two points that illustrate why you are the ideal candidate. It is crucial that there is no waffle, or value statements that your CV won?t back up.
