Surviving the heat at work; it's a recurring theme. Ideally, you would simply leave your work for what it is with these temperatures and sit on the beach. But the work has to be done anyway and you don't have many days off. Then get on with it. If you find the heat at your workplace unbearable, can you actually just decide to work from home? Or in another place? First of all, it really matters what kind of work you do. If you have a job in healthcare, construction or if you work with certain equipment, then working elsewhere will of course be a difficult story. But if you have work that you can do from anywhere, it is often up to you and your employer to make mutual agreements about working from home. Your employment contract may contain agreements about work locations and working from home. In principle, what it says there is binding and you have to stick to what you and your employer have agreed upon. But if the work...
Your curriculum vitae, more commonly known as a resume, is often the first thing employers look at after receiving your application. It gives a first impression of who you are and what you can do. So make sure that you present a good business card with your CV and that you make your experience and skills transparent and clear. How do you do that? Vacancies.nl gives you tips, do's and don'ts and examples, so that you can make an excellent impression with your CV.
What is a curriculum vitae?
The term curriculum vitae comes from Latin and literally means 'course of life'. In your CV you list your work experience, education and skills. This gives potential future employer(s) an idea of what you have to offer. A CV usually consists of a maximum of a few A4 pages; it provides a concise and clear overview of your past and is therefore not an extensive essay.Your resume as a marketing tool
The curriculum vitae is a self-made marketing tool. Whether you're invited for an interview depends a lot on how good your resume is. The CV therefore offers you the opportunity to show a potential employer that you have the right experience, education and competences for the open position. Conversely, the way your CV looks, or what you have put in it, can also ensure that you are not invited.Match your resume to the vacancy
The purpose of preparing your resume is to ensure that your potential employer invites you for an interview. You increase your chances if the employer sees at a glance that you are a suitable candidate for the position. Therefore, always tailor your resume to the specific vacancy and make sure that the skills, work experience and education(s) in your resume are clear and match the position for which you are applying.It can be smart to incorporate terms used in the vacancy text in your resume, so that when you scan your resume it immediately becomes clear that you are a suitable candidate. Of course, you don't have to create your resume from scratch every time. The basis can remain the same for every application, but sometimes adjust it to the information in the vacancy text.
What's in a resume?
What should and should not be on your resume? The answer to that question depends a bit on the position for which you are applying and what your (work) history looks like. But there are some general rules. It can be helpful to have a resume checklist handy. This way you can be sure that you state everything in your resume that should be included. You can also view our resume examples for inspiration.Do's and don'ts for your curriculum vitae
What can you do to score points with your curriculum vitae? And above all: what can you better leave out if you want to leave a good impression? Vacancies.nl has listed a number of do's and don'ts for your resume.
Use a font that is clearly legible and neat. With Comic Sans you generally won't be taken seriously that easily. Examples of fonts that you can use are:
* Arial
* Calibri
* Helvetica
* Verdana
You want to attract attention with your CV. One of the ways to do this is to stimulate the employer's curiosity with a profile. Think of it like a movie: a good trailer invites you to look further. Tell in a few short sentences who you are and what drives you. Make it specific; don't use empty or cliché terms, such as 'I'm a hard-working professional'.
If you use keywords or terms from the vacancy, you will be more likely to be identified as a suitable candidate. Moreover, in the event of a rejection, it may take some time until a new suitable vacancy is available. In that case, your resume ends up in a database and you are no longer top-of-mind. A recruiter can then find your resume later by searching for these characteristic terms. It can also be smart to include the colors of the organization where you are applying in your resume, for example. This shows that you know who you are applying to.
It is good to show your core qualities in your CV. As a result, your potential employer can clearly see exactly what you are good at and why you should be invited for an interview. If your qualities match what is required in the position, the recruiter will know who to contact.
Make as concrete as possible what you were responsible for in your previous jobs. Active verb forms can help you with this. Some examples: was responsible for, led, analysed, prepared, compiled, assisted, etc.
State and explain facts, achievements and responsibilities. This way, those people who assess your application can see exactly at what level you are acting and what you have achieved so far. When you managed 250 people as a manager and were responsible for a budget of 100 million, it is of course a different story than if you had five people under you and managed a budget of 20,000 euros.
Using a nice template makes your resume interesting, appealing, understandable and easy to understand. Don't get too excited about it and opt for a calm and well-arranged variant. Be sure to use bullet points in your resume; these make it more readable and clear. Create clearly distinguishable categories (work experience, education), so that the person viewing your resume can see the relevant parts at a glance.
Explicitly stating all your study results is just a bit too much of a good thing, but if you had an 8 or higher for your graduation thesis, it is certainly worth mentioning. Even if you obtained your diploma with cum laude or have received other awards, you can feel free to mention this. You show that you are a hard, intelligent and ambitious worker, that you deliver quality and that you can most likely quickly master the position.
A sloppy and poorly written resume says a lot about you as a person. And logically not in a positive sense. Check your resume several times and print it out. Have it checked by others and remove all ambiguities, imperfections, weird sentences or sentence constructions, small mistakes and carelessness. This prevents a small mistake in your resume from being the reason for a rejection.
DO'S
Use a clear and solid font
Use a font that is clearly legible and neat. With Comic Sans you generally won't be taken seriously that easily. Examples of fonts that you can use are:
* Arial
* Calibri
* Helvetica
* Verdana
Create an attractive profile
You want to attract attention with your CV. One of the ways to do this is to stimulate the employer's curiosity with a profile. Think of it like a movie: a good trailer invites you to look further. Tell in a few short sentences who you are and what drives you. Make it specific; don't use empty or cliché terms, such as 'I'm a hard-working professional'.
Align your resume with the vacancy, in word and image
If you use keywords or terms from the vacancy, you will be more likely to be identified as a suitable candidate. Moreover, in the event of a rejection, it may take some time until a new suitable vacancy is available. In that case, your resume ends up in a database and you are no longer top-of-mind. A recruiter can then find your resume later by searching for these characteristic terms. It can also be smart to include the colors of the organization where you are applying in your resume, for example. This shows that you know who you are applying to.
Mention your core qualities
It is good to show your core qualities in your CV. As a result, your potential employer can clearly see exactly what you are good at and why you should be invited for an interview. If your qualities match what is required in the position, the recruiter will know who to contact.
Be specific about what you have done in your previous work
Make as concrete as possible what you were responsible for in your previous jobs. Active verb forms can help you with this. Some examples: was responsible for, led, analysed, prepared, compiled, assisted, etc.
State and explain facts, achievements and responsibilities
State and explain facts, achievements and responsibilities. This way, those people who assess your application can see exactly at what level you are acting and what you have achieved so far. When you managed 250 people as a manager and were responsible for a budget of 100 million, it is of course a different story than if you had five people under you and managed a budget of 20,000 euros.
Use a nice template and bullet points
Using a nice template makes your resume interesting, appealing, understandable and easy to understand. Don't get too excited about it and opt for a calm and well-arranged variant. Be sure to use bullet points in your resume; these make it more readable and clear. Create clearly distinguishable categories (work experience, education), so that the person viewing your resume can see the relevant parts at a glance.
Mention high marks and/or (study) awards
Explicitly stating all your study results is just a bit too much of a good thing, but if you had an 8 or higher for your graduation thesis, it is certainly worth mentioning. Even if you obtained your diploma with cum laude or have received other awards, you can feel free to mention this. You show that you are a hard, intelligent and ambitious worker, that you deliver quality and that you can most likely quickly master the position.
Double check your resume
A sloppy and poorly written resume says a lot about you as a person. And logically not in a positive sense. Check your resume several times and print it out. Have it checked by others and remove all ambiguities, imperfections, weird sentences or sentence constructions, small mistakes and carelessness. This prevents a small mistake in your resume from being the reason for a rejection.
DON'TS
“No matter how fast the lie is, the truth will catch up with it”. In other words, lying will always turn against you. A lie doesn't get you anywhere because the truth will come out sooner or later anyway. And you are risking your reputation and job. Honesty lasts the longest for a reason.
If you want to be invited for a job interview , it is of course very useful if your contact details are correct. A mistake in your phone number can cost you dearly. Also check carefully whether you have included everything and put your details in a clear place in your CV, preferably at the top, so that they immediately catch the eye.
A CV is a serious representation of your work experience, education, competences, which should inspire professional confidence that you are the right person for a certain position. If you've been using the same e-mail address since high school, your application is a good time to see if it needs to be replaced. Do you want to show through your resume that you have a sense of humor? However, I'd rather not. The risk of your jokes being misinterpreted is too great.
Always provide your e-mail with a covering letter. A letter of application that you send in the attachment is not sufficient. There is a chance that an empty e-mail with only attachments will immediately end up in the digital trash. Always state in the subject line and the e-mail for which vacancy you are applying and write that your CV and cover letter can be found in the attachment.
If you decide to include a photo of yourself on your resume, choose a recent copy that makes you look representative. So leave out that holiday photo in a bikini or swimming trunks or that festival shot with sunglasses. Go for a more businesslike photo, where your face is clearly visible and the background is not distracting.
In your resume you describe who you are and what you can do. But again you don't have to argue about it. People quickly give up with long pieces of text or very extensive descriptions. So keep it concise, clear and well-arranged and use bullet points to summarize your qualities and experience.
It is best to indicate what you do or have done in your spare time if that adds to the position you want to do, but do not go into too much detail about your private life. For example, do not include:
* height
* weight
* age
* social security number
* bank account number
* names of former executives
* religious and political affiliation
Would you like to explain why you want to change jobs and leave your current employer? Not on your resume. The reason for your departure is a topic that will be discussed during the job interview.
What you earn or want to earn now is not something you put on your resume. Discussing your current salary and salary wishes is only relevant at a later stage, when you are going to have an employment conditions interview.
If you put a reference on your resume, it should be someone from a professional context. This does not include a friend or family member. Preferably choose a manager you have worked under before, or someone from the HR department who has your assessment interview reports. In this way, the person who assesses your resume can inquire about how you are as an employee and check whether, for example, there has been no fraud or labor dispute.
A former manager or HR employee is quite willing to act as a reference for you when you apply for a job. But always contact them in advance about this. It is a bit annoying if your referent is called without being informed in advance. Incidentally, you do not immediately have to include contact details in your CV; you can mention that these are available on request.
**Need inspiration?**
Lies on your resume
“No matter how fast the lie is, the truth will catch up with it”. In other words, lying will always turn against you. A lie doesn't get you anywhere because the truth will come out sooner or later anyway. And you are risking your reputation and job. Honesty lasts the longest for a reason.
An error in your contact details, or forgot to mention them
If you want to be invited for a job interview , it is of course very useful if your contact details are correct. A mistake in your phone number can cost you dearly. Also check carefully whether you have included everything and put your details in a clear place in your CV, preferably at the top, so that they immediately catch the eye.
A "funny" email address or "funny" resume
A CV is a serious representation of your work experience, education, competences, which should inspire professional confidence that you are the right person for a certain position. If you've been using the same e-mail address since high school, your application is a good time to see if it needs to be replaced. Do you want to show through your resume that you have a sense of humor? However, I'd rather not. The risk of your jokes being misinterpreted is too great.
Send your resume in a blank email
Always provide your e-mail with a covering letter. A letter of application that you send in the attachment is not sufficient. There is a chance that an empty e-mail with only attachments will immediately end up in the digital trash. Always state in the subject line and the e-mail for which vacancy you are applying and write that your CV and cover letter can be found in the attachment.
A 'wrong' photo
If you decide to include a photo of yourself on your resume, choose a recent copy that makes you look representative. So leave out that holiday photo in a bikini or swimming trunks or that festival shot with sunglasses. Go for a more businesslike photo, where your face is clearly visible and the background is not distracting.
lengthy texts
In your resume you describe who you are and what you can do. But again you don't have to argue about it. People quickly give up with long pieces of text or very extensive descriptions. So keep it concise, clear and well-arranged and use bullet points to summarize your qualities and experience.
Irrelevant (private) information
It is best to indicate what you do or have done in your spare time if that adds to the position you want to do, but do not go into too much detail about your private life. For example, do not include:
* height
* weight
* age
* social security number
* bank account number
* names of former executives
* religious and political affiliation
Indication of the reason for leaving your previous or current job
Would you like to explain why you want to change jobs and leave your current employer? Not on your resume. The reason for your departure is a topic that will be discussed during the job interview.
State salary details
What you earn or want to earn now is not something you put on your resume. Discussing your current salary and salary wishes is only relevant at a later stage, when you are going to have an employment conditions interview.
Friends as reference
If you put a reference on your resume, it should be someone from a professional context. This does not include a friend or family member. Preferably choose a manager you have worked under before, or someone from the HR department who has your assessment interview reports. In this way, the person who assesses your resume can inquire about how you are as an employee and check whether, for example, there has been no fraud or labor dispute.
No prior contact with your referent
A former manager or HR employee is quite willing to act as a reference for you when you apply for a job. But always contact them in advance about this. It is a bit annoying if your referent is called without being informed in advance. Incidentally, you do not immediately have to include contact details in your CV; you can mention that these are available on request.
**Need inspiration?**
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