Tips for writing a winning CV

1. Customise your CV for each job application

While it may save time to send a general CV, it can be detrimental to not tailor your CV to the specific role, selection criteria and key competencies that an organisation has advertised. CVs are a marketing exercise and by not taking time to customise each application you can raise recruiters’ alarm bells by giving them reason to believe that you will not take time in your professional work.

It doesn’t take long to tweak your CV so that it reflects the specifications of a particular job description and it’s worth the effort – especially when applying for jobs that are a good match for your skills and knowledge.

2. Research the organisation

What is the organisation’s mission statement and values? How large is the organisation? Do they have a local or global focus? Who is their target market? What are their achievements to date? What are their goals for the immediate future? Do they have partnerships with any companies or industries? What are some of their latest campaigns?

This information will help you compose an effective CV that states why you are a good fit for the organisation. It will also help you respond to questions should you secure a job interview.

3. Outline your professional experience

In the third sector

NFP organisations are passionate entities and demonstrating that you have held previous volunteer positions or memberships shows high interest and active engagement in an organisation’s mission.

In the corporate sector

Many people are deterred from applying for positions in the NFP sector because their previous roles have been in the corporate sector. However, regardless of your employment history, you will have skills that are transferable to the NFP sector, and to the particular organisation to which you are applying.

After listing the company/organisation, your position and the duration of your employment, outline your key roles in the position and your specific achievements. Highlighting your results will demonstrate that you can deliver real outcomes to help accomplish the company’s goals.

4. Be specific about your qualifications and skills

Don’t just list your qualifications; list the corresponding skills that these qualifications have led you to develop. If you list a skill like budgeting, be specific about the details. For example, “As Manager on the X Campaign, I decreased project costings by 20 per cent from $X to $X.” Additionally, be sure to prioritise the order you list qualifications so that the qualification most relevant to the role appears first.

Highlighting qualifications and specific skills shows employers you are committed and have training that will assist in the growth and success of the organisation.

5. List relevant memberships, event attendances and subscriptions

If you are a member of an association, have attended relevant NFP events or subscribe to relevant publications, be sure to include these in your CV. This demonstrates support for the NFP sector and that you are up-to-date with relevant trends and news. It also shows you are invested in having a career in the NFP sector, not just a job.