‘Providing the guidance and help you need on the first steps of your journey’.
‘Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude’. – Zig Ziglar
Hunting for a job isn’t rocket science – the main skill you need is common sense. Just follow these helpful hints and you’re on your way…
Have you tried tailoring your CV this way?
Applying for jobs these days can feel like sending your CV into a black hole — you click “apply”, wait, and often hear nothing back.
That’s the real world of job hunting. But there’s a smarter way to stand out: reverse engineer your CV.
1. Think like a recruiter
- When your CV lands on a hiring manager’s desk (or inbox), they’re not reading every line — they’re scanning for skills and experience that match the job description.
- The closer your CV mirrors the advert, the higher your chances of getting shortlisted.
- How to Reverse Engineer Your CV
- Read the job advert carefully — highlight the core skills, experience, and qualifications.
- Update your CV profile — include the same keywords used in the advert.
- Adjust job titles (where appropriate) — if your role was similar but called something different, make that clear.
- Reorder your achievements — put the most relevant ones first.
- Use bullet points — make it easy for them to see why you fit.
- When you tailor your CV this way, you’re not just applying — you’re showing alignment and making it easy for recruiters to say: “Yes, this person fits.”
2. Make a plan
- Don’t spend all day, every day searching for work. Set aside a fixed amount of time each day for updating your CV, reviewing job listings, and writing applications.
- You’ll be far more effective by limiting your job search to around three to four focused hours a day.
- Try not to feel discouraged if you’ve sent out multiple applications without receiving a response. Patience is often required — especially when waiting to hear back after interviews.
3. Do your homework
- Take a step back and plan your approach. With a little research, you can identify the companies and agencies most likely to value your skills.
- Send your CV to people you’ve worked with before and ask them to pass it on to anyone who may need your experience.
- Try not to build unrealistic expectations — focus on planting seeds and letting opportunities develop naturally.
4. Take care when applying
When responding to a job advertisement send a letter and CV that are both short, to the point and well written – this is the employer’s first impression of you.
Letters should be no more than 1 page long, divided into about 3 paragraphs.
Where specific experience is asked for, make sure you give it. Read the adverts carefully and respond accordingly.
Get a friend to check each letter for spelling, grammar and sense. Make sure it is the best you can do.
