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CV Template Advice

Article posted:
12. 09. 23

  • Principle format? – Written CV, portfolio, video, niche software etc - know your audience
  • Increasingly with the development of the digital market, and certainly within creative industries, there is a movement away from conventional Consider who you are presenting to and what are their expectations. Create something bespoke if this highlights your skills in a stronger way. In the future, Corporate functions will move further away from the traditional CV but it’s still the preferred format, and established process for now.
  • 3 pages is now accepted as the norm; more than this and you may be including detail from an early career that detracts from your current experiences.
  • Do consider that if you don’t grab attention on page 1 you may not have the opportunity for them to find the key aspects on pages 2 or 3.
  • Do consider LinkedIN as an extension of your If you introduce yourself via LinkedIN for a role, the reviewer will probably look at your LinkedIN profile for further background.

Impact

Personal details – name, email, contact number Personal profile – Show the passion you have for your profession, your areas of focus and interest. This is the readers first introduction to you; make it sound individual… four lines that summarise you professionally. Ask colleagues and network connections for phrases that summarise you.

Key Achievements 

  • These are not Key Skills but should incorporate the same Key skills are often presented just as words. These are largely meaningless unless they relate to specific technology, systems, or key words potentially essential in a specific role, beyond those that can naturally be assumed you will possess.
  • Key achievements should always be tailored for a specific role, and are key skills demonstrated through outcomes. They may be different for certain Consider your 6 most impactful achievements.
  • Key achievements will be drawn from beyond your current role and will allow you to highlight aspects from a previous role on the first page.
  • All must be measurable, detailed, but Numbers to highlight improvements, development, success etc should be included.
  • To help identify key achievements, consider what are those examples you would most often use during an interview, what qualities do they demonstrate.
Current role (final 1/3rd of page 1) – Company name, dates, role title
  • Brief description of role, reporting line, reports, budgetary responsibility etc; scale and context are relevant here (or that which is factually relevant to you and the role you are going for)
  • Build all responsibilities into achievements beyond this with a measurable outcome wherever possible; this role is likely to be the most relevant to the role you’re applying for, so go into detail.
  • Consider the range of competencies your achievements cover. Do these reflect your full range of competencies, are there other achievements that whilst not as significant do demonstrate the breadth of you and the role you undertook?

Detail 

  • Previous roles in chronological order, and detail, as per the current Do remember to move significant achievements into your key achievements on page 1
  • Gaps in dates? – include these; detail in one line what the period Some processes require full detail like this, and unexplained gaps could be interpreted as something being masked. Lots of great achievements can be drawn from during these periods, even if not from employment.
  • Consider the amount of detail to include, reducing from one role to the Early career summaries can be sufficient to support the early 20-25% of your career; note company, role, dates.

Validation

  • Potentially Early Career summary, if not on page 2
  • Education and professional qualifications – Make the judgement on which are most relevant to your role currently or your range of skills; some early qualifications are not necessary to include, or only briefly.
  • This will be more relevant and important for roles and careers that involve specific technology, systems or
Interests – A highlight for myself, but something that some consider draws people only to those similar to themselves.
  • A further opportunity to promote your informal side, a critical aspect in any recruitment Interests can and should be as far ranging as you feel relevant to yourself.
  • A favourite of mine - “I love great food, travel and all forms of sport, but with a young family this involves local take outs as I never go out, watching Michael Palin re runs and Ski Sunday as we get ready for bath time”
  • NB: Spending time with your family is a duty, not a hobby!!!

Other considerations & tips

  • Cover Letter for applications? – An introduction is important, and it is an opportunity to begin to focus your experience on the role, however it is more advisable to tailor the CV to a role than to send a generic CV with a personalised cover note as the 2 documents may not be presented together.
  • ‘Blank piece of paper’ – what am I good at, what competencies does this show, when did I achieve them?
  • What words have people used to describe me, or shared in feedback – why?
  • Tailor and evolve your CV continuously, yes, but feel comfortable reducing detail as you gain more experience. I often speak about my life in Canada, but the work I did there is no longer relevant!!!
  • Seek feedback from trusted colleagues and friends that know you
  • I haven’t referenced whether to include a photo or not, this is not for me to say and is probably more contentious than any other cv feedback I have gauged in 22 There is no right or wrong, some people want to include this, other don’t – you decide.
  • Recognise these are only one set of ideas and options, Google will suggest many more, none are wrong, just remember: know your audience!!
 

Written by:

Paul Bryan

Artis Procurement, Purchasing and Supply Chain & Artis Customer Contact are the established experts in resourcing for mid-senior level Procurement and Customer Contact leadership roles.

TEL: 07792072090
EMAIL: Paul.bryan@artisrecruitment.co.uk

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Career Advice

Article posted:
20th December 2022

As recruitment experts we’re here to help both candidate and client. Sometimes that help can just be a bit of advice, guidance or insight into the market. At other times you might want something a little more thorough or bespoke. We’ve noted some areas of career advice here, but feel free to get in touch for a confidential chat about your specific circumstances; we’d be happy to help.

1 - Do your research

Looking for a new role can be a full time job in itself. Part of this is because you really do need to do your groundwork on each organisation that you apply to. Think about what sort of business issues they will be going through, what sort of plans and goals they have and what kinds of risks they will be facing. Read widely and consider what is happening in the sector, or what their competitors may be up to. Try to understand how the organisation works, what it’s culture and ethos is – an inside track can be very useful! If what you learn makes you feel it’s exactly the sort of place you really want to be, take time to ensure you bring out your most relevant achievements and most appropriate skills on your CV / application and throughout the recruitment process. Make it clear how what you’ve done and who you are as a person make you just right for them and their needs. Good research and a little reflection will help make sure you present yourself in the most attractive light.

2 - Highlight your achievements, not your responsibilities

Taking that next step on the career ladder requires you to sell yourself a little. Whilst it’s ever so easy to prepare a CV based around what you do on a daily basis, most employers are more interested in what you’ve achieved in your role. For example, if you work in Content Marketing, you might want to highlight the impact & coverage your work produced. If you run a Marketing team, you might want to stress the impact of the way you’ve managed your team on the commercial returns. If you're responsible for creative campaigns, focus on the deliverables and the commercial / reputational benefit they have brought. Concentrating on your achievements like this will help differentiate your CV, showcase your relevant successes… and help ensure you get to interview.

3 - First impressions

Your CV is a means to an end; it’s at interview where you’re most able to differentiate yourself. Having done your research on the business and the people, take time to build rapport with your interviewer. Hopefully they’ll be taking time to build rapport with you, too! Like any new relationship, the one with your potential boss is built on first impressions. Whilst you may be confident about your abilities, keen to put across why you’re a great hire, or eager to jump in with some probing questions of your own, don’t forget to put in the groundwork with your interviewer to try to understand them as a person first. Demonstrate too that you have done your research on the business – beyond a scan of their website’s homepage! – and you’ll be off to a good start.

4 - Be on top of your game... Always.

Doing your research, crafting a CV that highlights your most relevant experience and achievements, and building rapport with your interviewer are all key foundations. Get this wrong and you’re fighting against the tide. Get it right and it’s the base from which you can deliver a great performance at interview. Your interview performance is key, so ensure you’re helping yourself by taking some steps to prepare. Make sure you’re ready with strong answers to the sort of questions you’d expect. If part of the role is managing people, have a few good examples to evidence how well you can manage and what that good management means in terms of outcomes; it’s not sufficient to say, ‘yes, I’ve managed before’… your interviewer will want to know how effectively. Make sure you’re also prepared to answers those questions you might not expect – so having some great stock examples / anecdotes to hand that you can draw out to support a range of core competencies, or to back up some of the points you’re wanting to make. Think about those examples that highlight how you work, what you did and what’s different about you… don’t just focus on how things turned out. Always answer clearly, concisely and with impact. How you say what you say is important. Haven’t interviewed for some time? There’s nothing wrong with practising – better to take some time to do this beforehand than try to wing it! Finally, to help make sure you’re on top of your game you’ll want to be confident. It may sound obvious but make sure you are well rested, allow plenty of time for your journey, arrive well presented and with a clear head. With today’s busy lives it’s easy to overload yourself and end up feeling things are rushed or unfocussed – whilst you might get by and do OK anyway, the ‘you on a good day’ has a much better chance!

Written by:

Huw Jenkins

Huw has over 20 years experience recruiting within the HR and Communications industry, bringing a wealth of experience and an impressive permanent and interim network across the UK and Northern Europe.

TEL: 01174563370
EMAIL: huw.jenkins@artishr.co.uk

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Success! Recruiting for a Senior Finance Role

Article posted:

Artis Accounting & Finance Case Studies

Finance Director (Reporting to CEO), £95k, Telco

The problem

Some organisations are complex; multiple operating entities, complicated matrix reporting lines, challenging cultures, global footprint etc. On this occasion our client had the lot(!), and that meant some real challenges for their internal recruitment team. There was a need for a resilient, experienced and credible Finance Director to come in and steady the ship but all was P&C… this was where we came in.

What we did

The senior finance space is a fascinating place in which to operate; as a trusted recruitment partner to many mid-to-large corporates our network of senior finance professionals is both broad and deep, and it’s something we’ve built up over time. With the sort of relationships and trust we foster we were able to discuss the opportunity in great detail without giving away the company name. We had some brilliant conversations with great people with the perfect balance of expertise and gravitas to manage anything thrown at them. They then trusted us to take their details to the client.

Success! 

We presented a few people to our client at the end of a busy week of meetings and calls; at a salary range of £85,000 - £95,000 the client was expecting a very strong shortlist… and we hit the mark. A series of back to back interviews were arranged in our very own offices to keep the position P&C. The successful candidate went on to become CFO within a year and has implemented a more efficient system as well as modernising the accounting process. We were happy we could help.
OUR CLIENT SAID: “As a complicated and rapidly expanding organisation we were keen to ensure the Finance Director we brought in on this role was very strong. Artis rose to the challenge and presented us with some great people, any of whom would have proven a fantastic hire.” CEO, Telco THE CANDIDATE SAID: “I’ve known Carl for a long time, and he knew this was just the sort of role that would get me excited! A tough challenge, but I’m enjoying making a difference.” CFO, Telco

Written by:

Richard Wolfenden

Experienced recruitment professional with a demonstrable record of recruiting finance and accountancy professionals on an interim, contract and permanent basis.

TEL: 07375124758
EMAIL: richard.wolfenden@artisrecruitment.co.uk

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Success! – Recruiting for a small and little known brand (finance)

Article posted:

Artis Accounting & Finance Case Studies

Financial Controller, £60k, Media Agency Start-up

The problem

Many of our clients are household names or big brands. Whilst this isn’t enough on its own (sadly!) to solve every recruitment challenge they face, a well-known name and familiar EVP message certainly helps. On this occasion our client was an innovative start-up business – headed by some industry heavyweights – but in today’s competitive recruitment market the fact that they had no established business or brand saw them losing out in terms of candidate attraction to better known names. An interesting role to take to market, but a challenge given this context.

What we did

With this assignment, we knew we’d need to focus primarily on the role and the entrepreneurial vision to attract, rather than falling back on brand recognition… but that’s fine, because it was a great role working with some great people and offering a chance for the right candidate to help shape the business’ future. Given our network and reach we knew we could access a strong candidate pool, and we spent time creating a ‘candidate pack’ to present the vision, business strategy and working conditions clearly. Good conversations ensued, and the brand awareness issue was reduced to just one of the many factors influencing candidate interest levels, not a key limiter.

Success! 

A great example of how recruitment isn’t about brand-lead advertising and automated sifting; rather, good recruitment is really about knowing how to attract and engage the right candidates with a desire to work in an entrepreneurial environment. Our ability to match our candidates needs to the clients meant we were able to find a brilliant pairing. Our client now has a new senior team member… and a solid No 2 when it comes to thinking strategically about the future.
OUR CLIENT SAID: “We’d worked with Carl previously and knew his aptitude to listen, ask the right questions and really understand our needs would help us uncover the right people… we were right!” MD, Start-up Media Agency THE CANDIDATE SAID: “My background was mostly in large companies but I was looking for an opportunity to develop in my career, somewhere I’d be trusted to run finance and be involved with company strategy. I didn’t know the company, but I liked what they were about… and the role.” Financial Controller, Start-up Media Agency

Written by:

Richard Wolfenden

Experienced recruitment professional with a demonstrable record of recruiting finance and accountancy professionals on an interim, contract and permanent basis.

TEL: 07375124758
EMAIL: richard.wolfenden@artisrecruitment.co.uk

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Success! – Recruiting for a difficult location (Finance)

Article posted:
12th January 2023

Artis Accounting & Finance Case Studies

Deputy Head of Audit, £60k, Retail

The problem

Our client in this case was a successful retail and wholesale business based in Somerset. A great business with a great story behind it; unfortunately, though, they are located outside the major cities and – critically – far from other similar businesses which might employee the niche staff they need. This assignment highlighted the fact that even when attracting more general skills locally is not difficult, the candidate market for senior staff or niche skills can prove a major headache for many employers. When a long-standing employee left the business, our client struggled to replace them.

What we did

Given our extensive database, access to all the right niche job boards / CV databases, comprehensive reach via social media plus some excellent search tools we knew we could reach the right people… but we also knew we’d need to sell this opportunity as it would likely involve a longer commute for most candidates. Sometimes the key is to really understand what makes the opportunity – and the client – attractive, and to focus on presenting this right from the outset; that way the ‘pull factors’ are placed up-front and centre. We drafted a ‘candidate pack’ with all the benefits set out clearly and used this across all our attraction activity. This meant we’d attract people who were keen on the progression this opportunity provided and who could look past the extra time in the car.

Success!

Whilst this assignment did at times feel like looking for a needle in a haystack, the hours put in resulted in us uncovering some excellent candidates. In the end, the client hired someone with the perfect background who, in fact, now commutes from Bristol… against the prevailing traffic.
OUR CLIENT SAID: “When our previous Auditor left, we found it hard to replace them. We knew Artis well although we hadn’t worked with Carl – we decided to give him a chance and were very pleased with the result.” Group Head of Audit & Risk, Retailer THE CANDIDATE SAID: “I’ve spent a good deal of my career in Audit and this role sounded great. It is a little further from home, but that’s manageable… and I’m enjoying working with a great team of people and the scope of the role is challenging, which is just what I need!” Deputy Head of Risk, Retailer

Written by:

Richard Wolfenden

Experienced recruitment professional with a demonstrable record of recruiting finance and accountancy professionals on an interim, contract and permanent basis.

TEL: 07375124758
EMAIL: richard.wolfenden@artisrecruitment.co.uk

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